tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89241364530914620512024-02-18T23:14:34.289-06:00Simple Circle StudiosHand crafted, functional pottery for everday use.-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-730025993505730572012-12-11T19:46:00.000-06:002012-12-11T19:46:08.442-06:00I'll have a slow Christmas, plates by the dozen and finally finishing this post...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://imustknowbd.blogspot.com/2012/03/super-humanthe-human-orchestrabeat.html" target="_blank">I'm not sure this guy has real vocal cords.</a> He may have had them removed in favor of a small speaker attached to a synthesizer in his brain. That, however, is just a guess. Check out some of his work <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55C0RirU3yA" target="_blank">(here)</a> for a dose of aural delight. </div>
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Now there are <a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=beatbox" target="_blank">other people out there who can do this</a>, and maybe just as well, but I have never heard of them, so today you get Kenny Muhammad.</div>
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<u><b>Editors Note:</b></u> <i>This post was actually written last week (or two weeks ago maybe?), but I never got around to posting it. Everything still applies...not that it makes it any more interesting or exciting. Oh well. Enjoy if you dare! </i></div>
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As far as studio news goes...not really a lot to report. I have not been extremely busy lately. Last week I was tied up with Thanksgiving related activities most of the week. <i>Now I have a freezer full of frozen pig!</i> Sorry to those folks who are not big on producing their own food or are put off by meat production. I have nothing against you but, yeah for butchering!</div>
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This week I am working on getting stuff decorated for a final firing before Christmas. I have a number of special orders that need to go out for the holiday. That being said, I am not super busy like I am sure a lot of other people are. I have not had a show in a little while so...out of sight out of mind which means fewer orders. I wish it weren't so, but...oh well.</div>
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Actually I <i>did </i>have a show just this past weekend, but it was not a typical "set up your booth and hock your wares" kind of show. It was a department store style show, so all I had to do was drop off my inventory and work a shift over the weekend. Good in that I was not tied up all weekend. Bad in that my work was intermingled with other work and I was not there to talk it up or anything. Financially it was not a rousing success, but I may give it another shot next year to see how it shakes out.</div>
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It is terribly confusing and frustrating. I usually get a very positive response to my work, whether it be at a show, online or wherever. It seldom translates into much of anything in sales though. I guess there cold be a few explanations for this. A: My prices are just to high...but I have seen other folks' prices and I do not think that is the case. </div>
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<u><i><b>This just in...I just, as I was typing, received notification that I got the bid on a large order I was shooting for. Sweet! This will hopefully go a long way to financing a new studio.</b></i></u></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Random vase</td></tr>
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Ok, everything up until this point was written a while back and I really don't remember what I was saying or where I was going with it, so...<b>new content!</b><br />
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I got a big order for plates that will be used as awards early next year. This means that over the next couple months I will be makes <i>hundred</i>, no <u><i>thousands</i></u>, no <u><i><b>dozens </b></i></u>of plates! Time to go into mass production mode. Thankfully this will be made easier by the plaster bats that I made a while back. And really it is not the throwing that will be a harrowing experience. Rather it will be <i>decorating </i>dozens of plates with the same design. That is not how I usually work, so it will be an interesting experience.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Air Whales!</td></tr>
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I almost, <i>almost </i>got a new studio this past week. A local company was having a sale on portable storage barns and I had my eye on a 12 x 24 foot one. After checking it out a bit though, and not wanting to make a rushed decision (it was an auction type deal), I passed on it. Instead I will be working on plans for building a new studio next spring. More on that as the story develops. <br />
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And since this post is stretching over a couple weeks and getting kind of long, I will wrap things up. So long for now.-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-60944868700982361472012-11-13T20:38:00.000-06:002012-11-14T18:02:25.048-06:00I am not a business man, office supplies, and the loose reputation of decals...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.sciencedump.com/content/tiny-dragon-discovered-indonesia" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="imagecache imagecache-img" height="236" src="http://www.sciencedump.com/sites/www.sciencedump.com/files/imagecache/img/flying-tiny-dragon-lizard-2.jpeg" title="" width="320" /></a> </div>
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Oh sure, it might be small, but tell me that isn't <a href="http://www.sciencedump.com/content/tiny-dragon-discovered-indonesia" target="_blank">a dragon</a>! You know what? You can't! That is a dragon, wings and all! And it flies! Well, glides really; falls with style. Still, freaking cool.</div>
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In case you didn't know, today was Tuesday. For me that means cleaning and paper work. I am not a fan of paper work. I am not a fan of the whole business side of running a business actually. Order sheets and spread sheets and taxes and dealing with customers...that is not my idea of fun. I would much rather be in the studio. Unfortunately I have not yet convinced my wife to take care of all that for me.</div>
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Today also included packing up a few pots to ship. This I do not mind as much, especially since it means I am selling pots. I did not actually get the pots shipped due to a lack of the properly sized boxes, but that situation has since been rectified. Thus tomorrow shipping pots is item one on the agenda.</div>
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How do you all deal with the acquisition of shipping materials? I have quite a few previously used boxes sitting in my closet, patiently waiting to be filled with purchased pots. Unfortunately they are seldom the correct size for what I need to ship. Likewise with packing material I prefer to recycle newspapers and such as opposed to buying massive amounts of packing peanuts and bubble wrap. This means my packing jobs often look rather messy. I would like to say this is because I am earth conscious and all that, but really I am just cheap. It keeps the shipping costs down for customers too, so...there's that.</div>
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A week or so ago I made a not so major purchase for the studio, that may (or may not) change how my work looks to some degree. What is this not so major device you ask? </div>
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This is a pictorial representation of my new HP laser jet printer. Why did I purchase this item and how will it change (perhaps) how my work looks? Any modern potter <a href="http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/worth+salt" target="_blank">worth their sal</a>t knows that this device, plus magic paper, can be used to create ceramic decals! For example...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Ztyyih-DQwHvJ8qgTbtteZ3jCqUXfcXRaLV634-iQAwb-wcmpeJCL5a1ZADPBw-fM7qLyqwMmnYSMZ4GsVJ2omgQ6cdrPzVGopfbqKyq0WcrF4lJHxeMCgkc3YruyO9OXy0WLhz6uZxd/s1600/11-13-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Ztyyih-DQwHvJ8qgTbtteZ3jCqUXfcXRaLV634-iQAwb-wcmpeJCL5a1ZADPBw-fM7qLyqwMmnYSMZ4GsVJ2omgQ6cdrPzVGopfbqKyq0WcrF4lJHxeMCgkc3YruyO9OXy0WLhz6uZxd/s320/11-13-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is a trio of objects I used to test out my new tool. The plates are for a possible order and the cup is just because squirrels are kind of cool. Not "awesome" or even "great", but kind of cool.</div>
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The decals were ridiculously easy to put on and fire. That's right decals! I ridicule you for being so easy! AND...with a little testing I think I may be able to work decal firings in with bisque firings, so no extra firing just for decals. <u><b>This will save time and energy!!</b></u> </div>
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Here is a close up of the cup before firing.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivVYeR-CkqypkNGrfJFSi-bpNPG4VhsMd0NkfbmUEFoAYp7JH9gIcQBHGibcxqB5S8xncr3Sof7wSqRa-OarbLV3g8z-UeppxZ8B8Bbtjxp8mlbu69PRhi0x5c1R-Mt1Awv25IbKmSg5qz/s1600/11-13-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivVYeR-CkqypkNGrfJFSi-bpNPG4VhsMd0NkfbmUEFoAYp7JH9gIcQBHGibcxqB5S8xncr3Sof7wSqRa-OarbLV3g8z-UeppxZ8B8Bbtjxp8mlbu69PRhi0x5c1R-Mt1Awv25IbKmSg5qz/s320/11-13-2.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
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And here is after.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RIoi5m9Ry08B-Nem05OcGqo29vKeyKCIXTi2lAAgrntYnFJeAJhXKOK9pk_dXFAPUsXMJ6h9lP3B3jq-4i3a-4_5ChKDMN5rpz78km1QcdOisiwpdAPZjH87M4mvaMtjKcGq0wZFqG7T/s1600/11-13-3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RIoi5m9Ry08B-Nem05OcGqo29vKeyKCIXTi2lAAgrntYnFJeAJhXKOK9pk_dXFAPUsXMJ6h9lP3B3jq-4i3a-4_5ChKDMN5rpz78km1QcdOisiwpdAPZjH87M4mvaMtjKcGq0wZFqG7T/s320/11-13-3.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every chipmunk finds a squirrel...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...or something like that.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KFObZPLoTay_lwQxlwWZaG4FQJyLQC12xGBox8cic3J3oFU-K2Rr4coJFv1jbAkXdC0RCjVJq04JmrRTCArmAXTlowfC81XwFwQI51QpFiBXxkFG1lL1ICzjBmtY8fd3XtZ9pxcdONFC/s1600/11-13-5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KFObZPLoTay_lwQxlwWZaG4FQJyLQC12xGBox8cic3J3oFU-K2Rr4coJFv1jbAkXdC0RCjVJq04JmrRTCArmAXTlowfC81XwFwQI51QpFiBXxkFG1lL1ICzjBmtY8fd3XtZ9pxcdONFC/s320/11-13-5.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"It tastes a bit nutty..."</td></tr>
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Now that I look at them I almost prefer the decals <i>before </i>they were fired. The sepia tone the iron leaves (<i>let's hear it for iron laden toner for making all this possible! Thanks iron, your...scratch that, <u>you're </u>the best!</i>) is ok, but the black would tie in better with the black underglaze pencil. Oh well. There is still much to be played around with.</div>
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And now I must find a book that will teach me how to go potty.</div>
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Up next...beat-boxing is awesome!</div>
<br />-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-1759982082424163092012-10-30T22:09:00.000-05:002012-10-30T22:09:13.308-05:00Kicks, bats and geeze those suck!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img alt="" height="300" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Dugong_Marsa_Alam.jpg/250px-Dugong_Marsa_Alam.jpg" width="400" /> </div>
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The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dugong" target="_blank">dugong </a>is a sea faring mammal that is pretty darn ugly. In this picture for instance, it looks like a cross between a rock and a vacuum cleaner.</div>
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And now for a quick update on Battlestar Galactica. The original 1978 series is complete. Despite the sometimes simple story lines and the rather crude 70's production value, it was a good show. Season one left off with what would have been a nice segue into season two...if there was a season two. Instead it picked back up in 1980... and was terrible. All kinds of weird stuff going on, like super powered boy scouts. I stopped watching it.</div>
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Now, for studio news.<br />
I got a new pair of kicks for the studio...do the kids still says "kicks"?<br />
I finally wore a hole through the Croc type sandals that I had been wearing, so it was time to get a new pair of something to cover my feet. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-B-gsY56PRlaEjR-_4s4lLfMEEpLnjirbhOGtCHjCxykVbsgB2NLvFLixlbAWzmHLaW2hPlXi8MWLJPJOS1Mg3yeG2zmIp77l9ojo05oLMc7wjVq38VgtlQvVTyruTFS2oNsN20P7-Xe/s1600/10-30-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-B-gsY56PRlaEjR-_4s4lLfMEEpLnjirbhOGtCHjCxykVbsgB2NLvFLixlbAWzmHLaW2hPlXi8MWLJPJOS1Mg3yeG2zmIp77l9ojo05oLMc7wjVq38VgtlQvVTyruTFS2oNsN20P7-Xe/s320/10-30-1.JPG" width="318" /></a></div>
Originally I was looking at legitimate Crocs, but apparently they cost a little more than I was willing to spend. I even looked for off-brand Crocs, but to no avail. I finally settled on this pair of...whatever you want to call them. Shoes would be good I guess. The only problem was that they were not water proof. <i>Were </i>I said. I also purchased a can of spray on water-proofer and sprayed the curse word out of them. Now I can saunter in and out of the studio without soiling my socks. Huzzah.<br />
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I also recently got a nifty little plaster bat system. <i>What's that you say</i>, a system of bats <i>made of plaster?!</i> That's right friend! I now have an entire <i>system</i> with which I can create bats made of plaster <u>for mere pennies!</u><br />
I got molds for a 13" flat bat and a 14" plate. Here are a couple of the plate bats patiently drying.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5zXmkN8uY2IocaBT0c8j82HGHSEWRmlbj5TR2bvj5toDrgko7W99__p-wpAGIEpiAGP__fCkLhYPDqxP_SaYfKKbkVkF1eHnbwpNGBWX26EVTWwf9rveLW6b7FFTNEc5dMhJ4oJqJIa7/s1600/10-30-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5zXmkN8uY2IocaBT0c8j82HGHSEWRmlbj5TR2bvj5toDrgko7W99__p-wpAGIEpiAGP__fCkLhYPDqxP_SaYfKKbkVkF1eHnbwpNGBWX26EVTWwf9rveLW6b7FFTNEc5dMhJ4oJqJIa7/s320/10-30-2.JPG" width="319" /></a></div>
And here they are after using them to throw a couple 10" lunch plates.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrlwMhDeZdYSPb4622FDdZRUGuJZRqTt4kB9VuDYAC4WXf4L5EI0atauTuo1VvtA4ADhqYot9PsPHnZy30TscdbbipiKc4RgemqD3H_xVY37zLP3P1sJ0zwOJH3sF-h4BtmJ36_9wb5N3n/s1600/10-30-3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrlwMhDeZdYSPb4622FDdZRUGuJZRqTt4kB9VuDYAC4WXf4L5EI0atauTuo1VvtA4ADhqYot9PsPHnZy30TscdbbipiKc4RgemqD3H_xVY37zLP3P1sJ0zwOJH3sF-h4BtmJ36_9wb5N3n/s320/10-30-3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Roll out a slab, throw it on the plaster bat, rib it smooth and add/throw a coil on the bottom for a foot ring. No struggle centering large amounts of clay; no trimming; these things save a vast amount of time. The plates actually turned out a lot flatter than I thought they would. I was able to put them back on the wheel right side up and pull the rim up a bit though. They are not perfect. It will just take a little practice figuring out how to get these things right. <br />
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And here we have a bird-man-thing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTah1WR5FctLiqDyzXCW463aLjZjwlZTL_oL3DKmWu-_JkjXRGRC9dstYZEMthRVKt8L1JY-ekLpJsQLX2OuCsoy-jF8bsTNGeg4Lr18jNgpayRcSrj2u7Y1kcjYlVkCfs2bCiV-jvK99H/s1600/10-30-4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTah1WR5FctLiqDyzXCW463aLjZjwlZTL_oL3DKmWu-_JkjXRGRC9dstYZEMthRVKt8L1JY-ekLpJsQLX2OuCsoy-jF8bsTNGeg4Lr18jNgpayRcSrj2u7Y1kcjYlVkCfs2bCiV-jvK99H/s320/10-30-4.JPG" width="244" /></a></div>
I am trying to make more of these things. I have <i>plans </i>for them...maybe...maybe. I think this guy still needs something, though. I was toying around with wings, but I'm not sure if that is right. Any suggestions?<br />
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And finally, I have been playing around with the rims on my ice bucket/wine cooler things. Apparently I get bored rather easily, so I have decided to change things up a bit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhos1vpraXwLrTkI4Uarwtd7V62re2Fs93H7S5oD-i3hT0WYYDZnoJzZy7pgR4ZpQvwE-XtiqfyrUpARiymkZKkEc5ONq7QxU__4gTdmHxeT4NdkyIcqm3L_xKxCPRUcy5ziL5mqgxiG6Ua/s1600/10-30-5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhos1vpraXwLrTkI4Uarwtd7V62re2Fs93H7S5oD-i3hT0WYYDZnoJzZy7pgR4ZpQvwE-XtiqfyrUpARiymkZKkEc5ONq7QxU__4gTdmHxeT4NdkyIcqm3L_xKxCPRUcy5ziL5mqgxiG6Ua/s320/10-30-5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
They have a wavy, undulating, asymmetrical thing going on. They are loosely based on the work/techniques of <a href="http://ceramicartsdaily.org/author/martha-grover/" target="_blank">Martha Grover</a>. I am not very happy with them so far. The forms are weak to be sure, and the alteration needs a little more symmetry, but there is definitely potential. <br />
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Ok, that is all for now. Up next...dragons are real!<br />
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-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-34541920669690507382012-10-09T20:30:00.001-05:002012-10-09T20:30:58.619-05:00Custom geekery, the big restock and a surprising lack of content...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlestar_Galactica" target="_blank"><img height="475" id="il_fi" src="http://www.theflowonline.com/urban/Article_Files/battlestar-galactica-1978.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="332" /></a> </div>
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I recently started watching the cult sci-fi classic Battlestar Galactica. Not the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlestar_Galactica_%282004_TV_series%29" target="_blank">newer version</a>, but the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlestar_Galactica_%281978_TV_series%29" target="_blank">original 1978 series</a>. I am not really sure why I started watching this, but it has been mildly amusing. Imagine a Star Wars TV show. The production is pretty disappointing though. I know, it is from 1978, but once you have seen what is possible it is hard to go back to 70's production value.</div>
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Right now I am slogging through the last 11 episodes of the original series so I am caught up before I start in on the 2004 continuation of the series, which (I hope) will surely be made better.</div>
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On to the surprising lack of content, especially for a two week hiatus.</div>
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The sell-out pumpkins are all finished up. Well, mostly. The bottoms
still need to be sanded and such, but they are out of the kiln. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDB0hcuMmX4qUK0E4y3Qk4wFGbOiYASflZZ_iTvPjosM1lRNzowOOXQs4dMiUPWY1_PY4YjPj13noMHTMmxhcirW28Mr5AKAXQgOZVCYiuPY4cm6qkplgDr5Yw_V7VI3wBWnoE_gca4hR/s1600/10-9-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDB0hcuMmX4qUK0E4y3Qk4wFGbOiYASflZZ_iTvPjosM1lRNzowOOXQs4dMiUPWY1_PY4YjPj13noMHTMmxhcirW28Mr5AKAXQgOZVCYiuPY4cm6qkplgDr5Yw_V7VI3wBWnoE_gca4hR/s320/10-9-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I like how the brown ones turned out but I wish I would have added some color to the white ones. They are just a tad too...sterile? sparse? I don't know; something is just not quite there. No mishaps or stuck lids or anything though, so that is good.<br />
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And here we have a few planters I have been working on lately. They
bear a more folk-y style in their decoration...a bleed over from the red
earthenware cups I have been making. And I just realized that I never
took any pictures of the cups after they were decorated! Well, suffice
it to say the decoration theme was more folk/traditional than what I
usually do. And now that is starting to influence my other work
apparently. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2embTh-uaYwn1bEg7Xke3nJcTQLZcMuWERIflSmnpn1fSD7o3LWIvkm7xPhlSDYRpzJLotU5veXnVVhUvHSvBn626KQH1Dr1Bkt7-AVa2yGd5zP_HYKHErXIc9EtfNreTNXLV53NndNR-/s1600/10-9-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2embTh-uaYwn1bEg7Xke3nJcTQLZcMuWERIflSmnpn1fSD7o3LWIvkm7xPhlSDYRpzJLotU5veXnVVhUvHSvBn626KQH1Dr1Bkt7-AVa2yGd5zP_HYKHErXIc9EtfNreTNXLV53NndNR-/s320/10-9-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Below is a picture of some custom geekery. Not sure if it is really evident through the blog, but every now and then I get a little geeky. Not in the biting the heads off chickens sort of way (although I can't say I have ruled that out yet), but in the gadgets, comics, sci-fi sort of way. That is why it was kind of fun to get an order for a computer geeky, fortress of solitude surprise mug. It would be better if I knew exactly what kind of geeky this individual was, but I guess a computer is as good a start as any.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichrrmmfCSO7GyyzW21Rv2Wp1BRuDiaxJaRhwccacgh5beUV47Tzpo1rvBE_PVFCXUvbmQMTpQ7N5BWi1-WFc-eqtzSFPSIjV6S79FjtmmzxFsVEb_CIquJh7EgHEPszy4hss8Oq4BUeOt/s1600/10-9-3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichrrmmfCSO7GyyzW21Rv2Wp1BRuDiaxJaRhwccacgh5beUV47Tzpo1rvBE_PVFCXUvbmQMTpQ7N5BWi1-WFc-eqtzSFPSIjV6S79FjtmmzxFsVEb_CIquJh7EgHEPszy4hss8Oq4BUeOt/s320/10-9-3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And in the background you may spy a custom oval planter featuring a pheasant. Quite a bit of detail going into that one what with the feathers and all.</div>
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This past Saturday I made a run up to <a href="http://kruegerpottery.com/" target="_blank">Krueger Pottery</a> in St. Louis to get more clay. I was down to my last 25 lbs then...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMM1p-sSjK6SrWzzcoe1BiSDoLR0VDwn5UE2aOTy6-LAcF8mcGoqetcN9f8PdxysO9Z1XuodW02kAhUeWIdcll7juzU3bMvvdFor0RCBXUuyK1mS1DcEZWgXUz2FF2mkgqu8cDrU0itbz0/s1600/10-9-4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMM1p-sSjK6SrWzzcoe1BiSDoLR0VDwn5UE2aOTy6-LAcF8mcGoqetcN9f8PdxysO9Z1XuodW02kAhUeWIdcll7juzU3bMvvdFor0RCBXUuyK1mS1DcEZWgXUz2FF2mkgqu8cDrU0itbz0/s320/10-9-4.JPG" width="319" /></a></div>
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...Shazam! 1100 pounds of fresh clay! 1000 of the utility Laguna B mix for the regular ware, then an extra 100 lbs of L & R Red Earth for further explorations into the earthenware genre. I am always surprised at how little space one thousand pounds of clay takes up. </div>
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And finally, something completely unrelated to pots. </div>
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For a while we have had a small fire pit thing on the back patio. I have spent many hours on many brisk spring or fall evenings enjoying the fires it contained. The only problem was that it was completely contained by metal mesh lattice stuff; top, bottom and all four sides. This meant that the heat was also somewhat contained and any wood used had to be cut pretty small to fit in.</div>
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So this past weekend I got a wild hair and decided to build a new fire pit out of a pile of extra patio bricks that has been sitting around for the past 4 years or so. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcXPhNRsrW54k8vwasKOrkNSfAt3sgKCTSco6NY-D467QW_67uSR5_uYH4Ubj3WpeE2hFLhK-BYTMOzChBXQZGmc7XQes56LdhLTUFr2tjO6rFGt5opJctjkDfeqpmJ6FG2yLGzdPTDCyV/s1600/10-9-5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcXPhNRsrW54k8vwasKOrkNSfAt3sgKCTSco6NY-D467QW_67uSR5_uYH4Ubj3WpeE2hFLhK-BYTMOzChBXQZGmc7XQes56LdhLTUFr2tjO6rFGt5opJctjkDfeqpmJ6FG2yLGzdPTDCyV/s320/10-9-5.JPG" width="319" /></a></div>
I think I will end up buying a few more bricks to even out the top. The barrel will be cut down so it is shorter than the bricks...or I could build bricks up around it and make a mini barrel kiln! No...no I am probably not going to do that...yet. Either way, I have already spent a few hours enjoying the warmth emanating from the fiery barrel. And with pieces of wood as tall as me! No more cutting wood into bite sized pieces! <br />
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And with that I am done. Up next...dugong!<br />
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-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-49839890573557626222012-09-25T20:01:00.001-05:002012-09-25T20:01:11.755-05:00Stuff that doesn't sell, stuff I've never made and selling out...but not really...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chupacabra" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img height="217" id="il_fi" src="http://www.virtuescience.com/el-chupacabras.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chupacabra" target="_blank">El Chupacabra! The nefarious goat sucker!</a> Most sightings of this cryto-zoological oddity come from central and south America. Quite a few of the sightings have also been attributed to unidentifiable canines with a severe case of mange. Still, makes for a pretty cool folk tale. </div>
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This past week has seen the beginning of the various orders received at the last show. While these orders were not quite enough to <a href="http://www.simplecirclestudios.blogspot.com/2012/09/show-notes-drinking-games-and-something.html" target="_blank">get me a wee bit tipsy</a>, they are certainly much appreciated. Let's start with bowls.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RKLhsVUSqkYVZpnbl0wVE0tehFX7MDtK8b7GvhkK-1LDd0DT41efI1nEfmjIBAeNbOrsDlhSJ0lhO9z4f5YwqPC1HO9zHtHVhQGuhlAjn7f2Xkf5ljdGjSyDtoB8t-rM1JO-Evw6RK8f/s1600/9-25-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RKLhsVUSqkYVZpnbl0wVE0tehFX7MDtK8b7GvhkK-1LDd0DT41efI1nEfmjIBAeNbOrsDlhSJ0lhO9z4f5YwqPC1HO9zHtHVhQGuhlAjn7f2Xkf5ljdGjSyDtoB8t-rM1JO-Evw6RK8f/s320/9-25-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Part of one of the orders was for a couple bowls to be used as awards. I do not generally make a lot of bowls because, well, they just do not sell. Large and small alike sit in the booth show after show and very rarely make it to a new home. The bowls in question, though, were quite enjoyable to work on, being larger serving/mixing type bowls. This is a shot after throwing. They weigh in at (going counter clockwise from the left) 4, 4, 7 and 10.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc212rHXtKHiO48OgujQ6kLX6FtYvGTQp2OrsMf43PxPL9CSdMhjdY190s9ZWFjhlQXxN1uqF0489ijToUWIB8YLRmIpybuZiryjGPqUU22g-F5xfbO8B851joT6xiGwzg0pJ8KzAM_qzi/s1600/9-25-3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc212rHXtKHiO48OgujQ6kLX6FtYvGTQp2OrsMf43PxPL9CSdMhjdY190s9ZWFjhlQXxN1uqF0489ijToUWIB8YLRmIpybuZiryjGPqUU22g-F5xfbO8B851joT6xiGwzg0pJ8KzAM_qzi/s320/9-25-3.JPG" width="319" /></a></div>
Another shot of the 10 pounder. I do not usually make stuff this big (although I have been doing so more lately), but I was really happy with how this turned out. I did not measure it, but I would guess it is roughly 7-8 inches tall and 12 or so inches in diameter. A good size for mixing or serving.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWrO4Ze3J91Vz4efGwkfUPymaXylmD5OpyxtjN5GBOSZFb2UnnJ0dhGsqlPfRyc2lMD3BfIG28vO8JcLkTiZbKXtRXaAnz2dEylGc5bwNKqNbYOY3rjXw1pyqQyE75vW71Wq4yMvW5dAJ/s1600/9-25-4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWrO4Ze3J91Vz4efGwkfUPymaXylmD5OpyxtjN5GBOSZFb2UnnJ0dhGsqlPfRyc2lMD3BfIG28vO8JcLkTiZbKXtRXaAnz2dEylGc5bwNKqNbYOY3rjXw1pyqQyE75vW71Wq4yMvW5dAJ/s320/9-25-4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here is a fancy lighting shot of them after trimming. Next (probably next week if I am being honest) comes deco...yippy ska-doo!</div>
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Another part of the same order was for oval planters...another item I do not sell a lot of. I don't think people really know what they are for. And it has been my experience that if people do not know what exactly they are going to use an item for, they tend not to buy it. I am considering retooling the design to turn it into some sort of bread pan/casserole. Anyway, here are some planters. Not the ones for the order but made in the same batch.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3vMyYWHanrLNicIskK8n8VB50DOtimNpBeMLXlCVfbcdbreyke8k4HXpX0bxM5NPYeNWntEHH3bVJ20Ip7NMoeCo9kWDvTL-hBlELLYlEzLcvFV5yuLLEplXe3oFke0m0TcdICGURlgE/s1600/9-25-5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3vMyYWHanrLNicIskK8n8VB50DOtimNpBeMLXlCVfbcdbreyke8k4HXpX0bxM5NPYeNWntEHH3bVJ20Ip7NMoeCo9kWDvTL-hBlELLYlEzLcvFV5yuLLEplXe3oFke0m0TcdICGURlgE/s320/9-25-5.JPG" width="319" /></a></div>
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Despite the fact that they will probably not sell worth a damn, I like the way they turned out. They are sporting a fancy new rim and ears. I'm not sure exactly what it is about them, but they have a kind of boat-y feel to them. </div>
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Another order was for dog bowls. I have never made dog bowls before, but I have <u><i>seen </i></u>dog bowls before, so I figured I could give it a go.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSDXULcjIcoWIQ_EKVPWqD4XY7AsCucMkzEPZevIFxdpo5XjKGD2_NS0DoPy_qHX2ib-3HsUNeibh-FWTJFmiW267DCKkrSh8P0133y5nNBSQ69Er0AUq2JrBCeSJWjp5zS0JjucTuLcL/s1600/9-25-6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSDXULcjIcoWIQ_EKVPWqD4XY7AsCucMkzEPZevIFxdpo5XjKGD2_NS0DoPy_qHX2ib-3HsUNeibh-FWTJFmiW267DCKkrSh8P0133y5nNBSQ69Er0AUq2JrBCeSJWjp5zS0JjucTuLcL/s320/9-25-6.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The customer said they had a medium sized dog and that the bowl probably needed to be 7-8 inches across. After throwing them that looked a bit big, but who am I to judge? I am not sure these will become a production item, but I am not ruling it out. I did see an awful (Editors note: I just got totally mixed up by the spelling of the word "awful"...that just doesn't look right...) lot of dogs at the last show. Some were in coats and such so I know people will spend money on stuff their pets do not really need.<br />
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I am also working up a load for my next show. It is a one day deal at a living history/historic site kind of thing. <a href="http://www.saxonlutheranmemorial.org/" target="_blank">The Saxon Lutheran Memorial</a> (opperated by my mother, conveniently enough) is having their annual fall festival on the 13th of October. I will have a pared down booth and be demonstrating. It is a pretty cool to do. Check it out if you are in the area.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiR5cQPyD-GpT73KYpEAaWW_KyfyuO0-e_jbEBysJqKQo8gHXdryVNd92TD2dTpjbPlHyHI64rJ3uAUqNXzmBRhRhYXsXpnJ9jrouPZc3CbYxfWLpYaCFTE0KATdCTfzEwtWwNVDcL1sCA/s1600/9-25-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiR5cQPyD-GpT73KYpEAaWW_KyfyuO0-e_jbEBysJqKQo8gHXdryVNd92TD2dTpjbPlHyHI64rJ3uAUqNXzmBRhRhYXsXpnJ9jrouPZc3CbYxfWLpYaCFTE0KATdCTfzEwtWwNVDcL1sCA/s320/9-25-1.JPG" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terra cotta tea bowls with white slip, soon to be decorated.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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And here I sold out just a <i>little </i>bit. I decided to make <i>pumpkins </i>for the fall/Halloween season...I am slightly dissapointed with myself.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0LjXN54Og1ubFRGtM4yzH_M8lzAzSJq4aXejX8QguzhyrJbbM9TsX3lryMTIgIe04fIZepooJExpfvXDLi8OiNc-_1J544xmDvou0-KhHnJqvm1Bx8VPzL6v2yK-W4UYBHn0mK_gvuSK/s1600/9-25-7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0LjXN54Og1ubFRGtM4yzH_M8lzAzSJq4aXejX8QguzhyrJbbM9TsX3lryMTIgIe04fIZepooJExpfvXDLi8OiNc-_1J544xmDvou0-KhHnJqvm1Bx8VPzL6v2yK-W4UYBHn0mK_gvuSK/s320/9-25-7.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before: hollow forms fresh off the wheel.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfjkJt0Be5-kOP504N391uWvsqL5q6_VSJABmxaXFldXWgxURAI4NRb07o9oARNotjKCyOWC2WSKOQ1LfChjNfVpyerzZL6yXbiXK1mD0vPHwPvpN-0iIoMU-BVx9uGYvcTcZPlcnsFvjv/s1600/9-25-8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfjkJt0Be5-kOP504N391uWvsqL5q6_VSJABmxaXFldXWgxURAI4NRb07o9oARNotjKCyOWC2WSKOQ1LfChjNfVpyerzZL6yXbiXK1mD0vPHwPvpN-0iIoMU-BVx9uGYvcTcZPlcnsFvjv/s320/9-25-8.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After: scary cute pumpkins.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOZnhdliLP9rjKX4uN03MY85YIu0dZlzKGuaCC4_YLr0ytlrTDgQRDqtVLQ5DMWspy9clGB2dkk1Nd7BXKKYWAtoDnuvOm0EwcUvtLb88sK4CVHqoQUmvo3VWfeVRF-qvLhlotNBU7tyR/s1600/9-25-9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOZnhdliLP9rjKX4uN03MY85YIu0dZlzKGuaCC4_YLr0ytlrTDgQRDqtVLQ5DMWspy9clGB2dkk1Nd7BXKKYWAtoDnuvOm0EwcUvtLb88sK4CVHqoQUmvo3VWfeVRF-qvLhlotNBU7tyR/s320/9-25-9.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More scary cute pumpkins.</td></tr>
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I actually had a good time making these. Is it really selling out if you enjoy what you are doing? I say no. I am not sure how well these will go over, but they will probably become an annual offering either way.</div>
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And with that I have run out of steam. I am sure I can conjure up something more for next week.</div>
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Up next...Battlestar Gallactica!</div>
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-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-17014957369204178822012-09-18T20:43:00.004-05:002012-09-18T20:43:54.750-05:00Show notes, drinking games and something sketchy this way comes...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img height="300" id="il_fi" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxs8qGCA7HI13pvt44jChwj_5kPC-ILiIz11TIFzB-HTDCxmTwz70MKrS7os2DLg0V-BADg_E5iEfDuT42sVZ2lAPiGfoMC8YAhItgmWwuf3cBcsf5VPRHztG05vB4X5jhzIl1fILcmRu/s400/capybara3.JPG" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="400" /> </div>
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The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capybara" target="_blank">capybara is a big freakin' rodent</a>, the largest in the world in fact. Some people keep them as pets. Others hunt them for their hide and meat. </div>
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By all accounts this night is a four star success so far. I am sitting here listening to <a href="http://www.allmusic.com/artist/saint-vitus-mn0000287259" target="_blank">Saint Vitus</a> and sipping a <a href="http://4handsbrewery.com/our-beers.html" target="_blank">Cuvee Ange</a>. St. Vitus is a bad [spousal censorship] doom metal band from the 80's. Cuvee Ange is a rather tasty saison beer aged in wine barrels from 4 Hands Brewery is St. Louis, MO. Good times.</div>
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And since it worked so well last time, this post will consist largely of notes I jotted down while hocking my wares at the Mosaics Art Festival in St. Charles, MO this past weekend. All in all it was a decent show; one of the best I have had so far...which still isn't saying much. I would tell myself not to quit my day job just yet, but it is a little late for that. Let's go!</div>
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<u>Friday</u></div>
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<li>Set up was stressful as usual. Now I have a PBR in my belly and just want to go home and take a nap.</li>
<li>I am not an especially social person. I do not like small talk and selling is not exactly my strong suit. I am still trying to figure out a way to just make stuff and let Alicia do all the selling.</li>
<li>Just blasted out the details for a big order! That calls for another beer and some jerky!</li>
<li>This is going to be the new art fair drinking game. Every time I get a custom order I drink, got it? Then drink, fool! That is order number two!</li>
<li>It is difficult having a conversation with someone who does not really speak English.</li>
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<u>Saturday</u></div>
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<li>I do not want to get my hopes up, but the weather is great and there are already people here before the opening bell...promising...<span style="font-size: small;"><i>[Editor's note: I should not have gotten my hopes up...]</i></span></li>
<li>Order up! And it is only 11:30! Drink! </li>
<li>Things have been moving little by little, and I think the crowds may be picking up. And I got another order...drink! <span style="font-size: small;"><i>[Editor's note: This was the last order received and thus the end of the drinking game.]</i></span></li>
<li>I am <u><b><i>so</i></b></u> glad the drum and fife troop is marching up and down the street making conversation (and sales) impossible and scaring the piss out of dogs!</li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i>[Editor's note: At this point I ran out of business cards (because I did not bring enough) and spent the rest of the day making more out of sketchbook paper.]</i></span></li>
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<u>Sunday</u></div>
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<li>A few people have taken the make-shift business cards so far...I don't think everyone really <u><i>gets </i></u>my sense of humor.</li>
<li>A dragonfly just landed in my booth. A lady standing there said it was supposed to be good luck...then left without buying anything. The dragonfly left pretty quick too, so I may well be screwed.</li>
<li>I think I just saw the Rocketeer! Padded leather jacket and an angular back pack that definitely could have contained a rocket pack...are super heroes real?!</li>
<li>I believe I may be slipping in and out of this dimension...or maybe time is slowing down or something. Everything looks washed out and slow and just a little bit off. It is ok though. There are only 15 minutes left before closing time and no one is buying anything, so I don't really have anything better to do than slip in and out of dimensions. <span style="font-size: small;"><i>[Editor's note: I now believe this altered state of consciousness was due to wearing sunglasses while it was cloudy and extreme boredom.]</i></span></li>
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Shortly there after I repacked more work than I was hoping to and headed home. Again, all in all not a bad show, but it could always be better.</div>
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And so there are more pictures in this blog than just a capybara...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpFXZluGyg_08StppH3VGm4vChbtAkrNMnJMKmIDgZ3wZYvffakCp7Sd8taDN2S4hKKxSK_KefElnYHBLLsAW1Jw2Ym-kPpdQN2V5YPsbHv0sb1_b-iGOCzTokV30SCcqaocjiCMV4K1P/s1600/Page+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpFXZluGyg_08StppH3VGm4vChbtAkrNMnJMKmIDgZ3wZYvffakCp7Sd8taDN2S4hKKxSK_KefElnYHBLLsAW1Jw2Ym-kPpdQN2V5YPsbHv0sb1_b-iGOCzTokV30SCcqaocjiCMV4K1P/s320/Page+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is a page out of one of my sketchbooks. I always enjoy seeing other people's process drawings and such. I may start doing two blog posts each week, one regular and one sketchbook post. Yes, I realize that there are probably very few people in my <strike>massive </strike>very tiny audience that are interested in the average ramblings of my mind, but it will provide an impetus to catalog and create a back up of my sketchbooks. They are getting a bit tattered with use.</div>
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Up next...I don't know yet, but I'll think of something.</div>
-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-38531520548138322152012-09-11T20:09:00.002-05:002012-09-11T20:09:47.269-05:00Tragedy, figuring it out and come buy my pots!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img height="240" id="il_fi" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5054/5401049562_bccd6f589d.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="320" /> </div>
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When I searched the google for "Timmy Tabasco" this was the second image that came up. I assure you this is <i>not </i>Timmy Tabasco. </div>
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My senior year of high school one of the last projects we tackled in my speech class was to write and produce a short television program. The show my group developed was a situational comedy about a guy who gets put in the witness protection program. I believe it was called "Where's Walter?" or something like that. The plot went something like this.</div>
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One day as Walter is walking down the street some mob thugs drop a guy on his dog. (I was that guy dropped on a dog. They actually threw me off the roof of the school...onto padding of course. It was pretty freaking cool.) After witnessing this mob murder Walter testifies to put Jimmy the Squid (the mob boss) in jail and is put in the witness protection program. For some reason he has to share a room with someone else in the witness protection program. This new room mate is none other than Timmy Tabasco, a ex-GI red neck on the run from the Chinese mafia. I was also Timmy Tabasco. Wackiness ensues. There are candy-grams, slow speed foot chases and <strike>probably not that much</strike> oh so much more.</div>
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Granted this was only a crappy high school project, but it was awesome...or at least we thought so. You are no doubt exceedingly disappointed after three weeks of build up, and I don't blame you.</div>
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There is probably still a tape of that spectacular show pilot floating around somewhere. If Dan, Aaron or Steve happen to have a copy of it (or, even less likely, if they happen to read this), I will give you a large Fortel's pizza for a copy of it.</div>
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And now that that foolishness is out of the way...</div>
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Tragedy!</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5mEg-W8theLBOGzcB2bEMagCZNM784THHvrjEMzlg6TK1w5RPA_OAiBGTpdEMQowS823Lyh37fnQgvVCCEIOTE-ZiqUrIx8g7xmgwJu4f3Btjy2Nn_C7hWnuq_-ELZ_3GbyS-H_7H4ZX/s1600/9-11-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5mEg-W8theLBOGzcB2bEMagCZNM784THHvrjEMzlg6TK1w5RPA_OAiBGTpdEMQowS823Lyh37fnQgvVCCEIOTE-ZiqUrIx8g7xmgwJu4f3Btjy2Nn_C7hWnuq_-ELZ_3GbyS-H_7H4ZX/s320/9-11-1.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are few things sadder than a broken coffee mug.</td></tr>
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The other day my son knocked my <a href="http://supportyourlocalpotter.blogspot.com/2012/09/free-advice.html" target="_blank">Brandon Phillips</a> coffee mug off the table and broke it. It was probably the mug I used most often...the perfect size for a cup of coffee or whiskey. And a freaking fantastic handle that was just about perfect for how I hold a coffee cup. Oh well, so it goes.</div>
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For something a little less tragic, here are the results of the red clay experiment.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mXeqOG82w9Tmb3_P9juIQg-MFZU9_FAeUDYo37NMvWyI6d8_krJBpNFrG0z5dX5Lvcws-wA2KUE8w3mLvSbJQOurN8lW5z717YXoq_q0bVPad18953gaqwbDNLRiuOLnCdvLXCM2p6O-/s1600/9-11-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mXeqOG82w9Tmb3_P9juIQg-MFZU9_FAeUDYo37NMvWyI6d8_krJBpNFrG0z5dX5Lvcws-wA2KUE8w3mLvSbJQOurN8lW5z717YXoq_q0bVPad18953gaqwbDNLRiuOLnCdvLXCM2p6O-/s320/9-11-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wishy-washy spoon rests</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-rB1_Geb0jK2kgWnnq7fVKArgh0JVcK4yG0ujvaeg5e_p4QPAqUjRQqbH2FHvIaaF09He0XHbWSXEvS7tVZYERoQR1YbtDLWtiJ05cJ84ergyZIrb651Tx9GyNv_vaAOhNsCVBSVPQU_/s1600/9-11-3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-rB1_Geb0jK2kgWnnq7fVKArgh0JVcK4yG0ujvaeg5e_p4QPAqUjRQqbH2FHvIaaF09He0XHbWSXEvS7tVZYERoQR1YbtDLWtiJ05cJ84ergyZIrb651Tx9GyNv_vaAOhNsCVBSVPQU_/s320/9-11-3.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wishy-washy sheep</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYacvFZT1xh_76qqSYNTYF9E1fNROSxAHSBR4PtxIrVhedg2E4n4ystX2ja-qKjoqHPfF_fxrEZAfW9BQZpd1XG3mbncrnmnAbQ-5kXGs0MKhwefdRSRHsGbwA_Aw0QBpdUQJFLIg-H9_i/s1600/9-11-4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYacvFZT1xh_76qqSYNTYF9E1fNROSxAHSBR4PtxIrVhedg2E4n4ystX2ja-qKjoqHPfF_fxrEZAfW9BQZpd1XG3mbncrnmnAbQ-5kXGs0MKhwefdRSRHsGbwA_Aw0QBpdUQJFLIg-H9_i/s320/9-11-4.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wishy-washy wheat</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">
There are obviously a few problems here, beside the <a href="http://www.simplecirclestudios.blogspot.com/2012/08/pickles-ruination-and-dog.html" target="_blank">collapsible handles</a>. I think the slip was a bit too thin to begin with. Combine that with them being over fired and you get a washy, thin look that is not all together pleasing. Due to the over firing the lids also stuck on the jars. Luckily I only mangled one while knocking them loose. Most of the batch ended up on the shard pile. </div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">
I did have a couple that did not make it into that first round, though, so I tossed them in with the next bisque firing.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yq3-1HZ79BaUmDZkShr6DDeL8MFAWG9cJolRpLHlBoZOFXr16gG2tA2OlQtYJBvD8eJVlTKzi8N0lR9HhAIoZDHO3JGkrFyybkzx1rH4onQuxDMF5JX1jzJWe_buVaU91aQcKuGNJx43/s1600/9-11-5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yq3-1HZ79BaUmDZkShr6DDeL8MFAWG9cJolRpLHlBoZOFXr16gG2tA2OlQtYJBvD8eJVlTKzi8N0lR9HhAIoZDHO3JGkrFyybkzx1rH4onQuxDMF5JX1jzJWe_buVaU91aQcKuGNJx43/s320/9-11-5.JPG" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_p7xpD6HYxlzqiBHM3I9GzP-ofjYNXKaQY6zSDxdOBtJwWTANyMOG8K9To3yzClSa0Q0CSeBAXfWLK0EU2jQfk_Y6P9f6j39O888aFUXZZxTP4P1upaxappobmTeNgEgGhfAtXXKkNrNP/s1600/9-11-6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_p7xpD6HYxlzqiBHM3I9GzP-ofjYNXKaQY6zSDxdOBtJwWTANyMOG8K9To3yzClSa0Q0CSeBAXfWLK0EU2jQfk_Y6P9f6j39O888aFUXZZxTP4P1upaxappobmTeNgEgGhfAtXXKkNrNP/s320/9-11-6.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I pour poorly!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">
Neither will be sold due to cracks (not sure why/how those showed up), but they are still structurally sound, so I will probably hold onto them for a while. At least the platter. The lid of the teapot fits a little too snug and traps air when pouring, so it is kind of a pain to use.</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">
I will probably pursue this style again soon, but not until I do a little more research.</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">
Finally, a few shots of the glaze load I just unloaded this morning.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXgebf7T1rP9f3G1av1MowwTjd2K9bcrfV7NdW9HvA016MAaKtU5ga39VFX9RRcAC-u4D5nJd38u11RXVU09pjzvTdeMhjIuHhT-PiRqK1c69LHzxss-p8EAuhN9soH47F17efYLZxXJR/s1600/9-11-7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXgebf7T1rP9f3G1av1MowwTjd2K9bcrfV7NdW9HvA016MAaKtU5ga39VFX9RRcAC-u4D5nJd38u11RXVU09pjzvTdeMhjIuHhT-PiRqK1c69LHzxss-p8EAuhN9soH47F17efYLZxXJR/s320/9-11-7.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Train!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopY_PlW0BaLKxjS1oFwzJH4F_3UqnQc0MqAcDBlBAA_L7NzeYfJW9t0p4uH5796Lu5BgDMrpY07QGzvLg-wiE8LXHGCCZTaHrSFEV2LSDiuAO7ZLRIHaFft8ODGifX9qBfQWy_1QVNW5a/s1600/9-11-8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopY_PlW0BaLKxjS1oFwzJH4F_3UqnQc0MqAcDBlBAA_L7NzeYfJW9t0p4uH5796Lu5BgDMrpY07QGzvLg-wiE8LXHGCCZTaHrSFEV2LSDiuAO7ZLRIHaFft8ODGifX9qBfQWy_1QVNW5a/s320/9-11-8.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Collaborative piece with my 2 year old son.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">
This is another piece my wife has been bugging me to make for a while. One of the custom items I make is a "surprise" mug; personalized on the outside with a figurine on the inside. Now I will always have an example on hand that I can take to shows. I would actually like to make a catalog to take instead of just examples, but that is still in the works.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVlDTT2DMas5SUCAIFKZ14C4xBP5oZCyYtI_eLXq6gDCoUaRVVThdoVsd1fl00sP8QAHWId_6zTBV6eWw7lAl2AcfpNd7oNnJI-afekzkeHISrbjZh-A5wy1MSd9hXJiuxir9umeSJxJD/s1600/9-11-9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVlDTT2DMas5SUCAIFKZ14C4xBP5oZCyYtI_eLXq6gDCoUaRVVThdoVsd1fl00sP8QAHWId_6zTBV6eWw7lAl2AcfpNd7oNnJI-afekzkeHISrbjZh-A5wy1MSd9hXJiuxir9umeSJxJD/s320/9-11-9.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whiskey cups, lidded jars, bottles...and balloons!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ASxUqVFEOTT1nXF3vpiX2u9Wp6WyvtuYZNrd4jmzk6v3dl7AwsgebpLWkX8McppqNtkA3IkH7a3spYMy2yWlx88C95laEKsFdqWusYklDKYwdIWgXIhIBbMx3H9TXa6epm6rDgJyTFVO/s1600/9-11-10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ASxUqVFEOTT1nXF3vpiX2u9Wp6WyvtuYZNrd4jmzk6v3dl7AwsgebpLWkX8McppqNtkA3IkH7a3spYMy2yWlx88C95laEKsFdqWusYklDKYwdIWgXIhIBbMx3H9TXa6epm6rDgJyTFVO/s320/9-11-10.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mark of the werewolf!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">
It was a pretty small load because I had to get some custom orders done, but I was happy with how everything turned out, especially the reds. I had been having some trouble with getting the color I wanted, but I think I have the formula figured out now.</div>
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And finally (again), if anyone is in the St. Louis region, I will be at a show in St. Charles this weekend. <a href="http://stcharlesmosaics.org/#/EventInfo" target="_blank">Mosaics </a>goes from 4pm Friday to 5pm Sunday. It looks like the weather is going to cooperate, so come up and see me!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">
Up next...capybara! </div>
<br />
-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-63474444519478502442012-08-31T22:29:00.000-05:002012-08-31T22:29:19.658-05:00AFQotD, random notes and financial cuisine...I was going to put a little review type thing on here about the show I did last weekend in Fairview Heights, IL, but it is getting kind of late. Therefore, in the interest of brevity, I will simply transcribe the hand full of notes I scribbled down during the show. These come to you more or less as I originally thought them.<br />
<br />
<u>Friday</u><br />
<ul>
<li> Art Fair Quote of the day #1: two 20-something women</li>
</ul>
"Hey Lindsey, there's a butter dish!"<br /> "Hahahaha!"<br /> (What in the world could have transpired that would make the sight of a butter dish so funny?)<br /><ul>
<li>All the tent poles, stakes and ropes make it feel like we are on display at some sort of circus or people zoo or something.</li>
<li>A <i>little </i>bit of wiggle room between tents would be nice. They practically have us stacked on top of each other. Twice already I have knocked paintings off the wall in the booth next to me by bumping into their display.</li>
<li>Have you ever seen someone so tall you thought to yourself, "What the hell happened to <i>that </i>guy?"</li>
<li>I have had a number of people give my work the stink eye already.</li>
</ul>
<u>Saturday</u><br />
<ul>
<li>Art Fair Quote of the Day #2: Mother & 4-5 year old daughter</li>
</ul>
"No no, don't touch Gabby"<br />
"<i>You </i>touched!"<br />
<ul>
<li> Art Fair Quote of the Day #3: 3 year old boy</li>
</ul>
"Follow Simon! <i>He</i> knows where the didgeridoos are!"<br />
<ul>
<li>I don't make pretty pots</li>
<li>I think I have the most expensive mugs at the show. The average looks to be about $30. <i>My </i>average is closer to $40.</li>
<li>It is slow like a...like something that is really slow.</li>
</ul>
<u>Sunday</u><br />
<ul>
<li>I think it is funny when parents dress their kids so the whole family matches. I can understand if it is for family pictures, but I don't think these folks were having family pictures taken. "I still think there's too much green..." "I <i>told </i>you, it's a motif!"</li>
<li>I love it when people give me lengthy, unsolicited advice about what I need to change on my pots to make them better. Excuse me sir, but...<b>go away!</b></li>
<li>There are just shy of three hours left for this show and the crowds (and I use the word "crowds" <br />in the very loosest sense of the word) are pretty much gone.</li>
<li>I love it (really) when people smile, or even better, when they laugh at my work. Sometimes I laugh when I am making it.</li>
</ul>
Overall it was a very well organized show, just not very profitable. Depending on how I decide to cook the books, I covered expenses.<br />
<br />
And so this post is not completely devoid of pictures...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OzfKXX34gQDYUJ_9E5yBmfu2WKcslqEb5KWj8WShZoqbm6aLRP7USLvV9FZnG7jqyueinT61e0Rq2o3aC4fB4H4XrQQqRVPq2xGSIOPuhmQlj_ly7rt7rb22w4ZBck1Spa3iF4iZ-ro3/s1600/Name+Plate+Example.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OzfKXX34gQDYUJ_9E5yBmfu2WKcslqEb5KWj8WShZoqbm6aLRP7USLvV9FZnG7jqyueinT61e0Rq2o3aC4fB4H4XrQQqRVPq2xGSIOPuhmQlj_ly7rt7rb22w4ZBck1Spa3iF4iZ-ro3/s320/Name+Plate+Example.JPG" width="319" /></a></div>
...a custom platter for my wife. She has been wanting me to make a name, wedding, anniversary, whatever you want to call it platter for a while now. Partly because she wants one to hang on the wall, but mostly because she wants me to hock them as a "custom order" item at shows and such. Either way we were both pretty happy with how it turned out.<br /><br />
Up next...Timmy Tabasco! <br />
(I know I said that last time, but this time I mean it...but it will not be for another week and a half as I will be gone all next week. I know you are all waiting on pins and needles to find out what "Timmy Tabasco" is, but keep your pants on. You will find out soon enough...and you will undoubtedly be exceedingly disappointed when you do.) -Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-24315261025724938512012-08-21T20:57:00.002-05:002012-08-21T20:57:15.989-05:00Pickles, ruination and a dog...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img height="229" id="il_fi" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwUPVcwKsYkuyGGIq8dCe7SWmrLzjB8i79I02zfwYXQydCcZum2LCRws259DUOqbq9y8gWsLhW9dDZVtUDJZ-Q3M_g45Z3024SOTU-ta5itbjDQFedXcEIMU71pKEd3_T-5m9NJPbDOc/s320/worlds-biggest-potato-ever.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="320" /> </div>
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According to <a href="http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_World_record_for_largest_potato" target="_blank">this page</a>, that may or may not be reputable, the world record for the largest potato is 8 pounds, but an unconfirmed contender may have topped it with a 25 pound behemoth that looks like Slimer,</div>
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Now, pots and such. Actually we are going to start off this week with a bit of putting by.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCT-PWQ4w1MN6FgGAfa6qWoQGPTwh4lTnzuaq5nQwagBgtSLkRw2Q97H6PsZCFoNcf1l2mwNAsmyxworlu7p1jGTAndRjcqrpDki9GRaIXMvRo8SCMRM55RaxLUQt0zfNWNY3J2YC4mQq/s1600/8-21-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCT-PWQ4w1MN6FgGAfa6qWoQGPTwh4lTnzuaq5nQwagBgtSLkRw2Q97H6PsZCFoNcf1l2mwNAsmyxworlu7p1jGTAndRjcqrpDki9GRaIXMvRo8SCMRM55RaxLUQt0zfNWNY3J2YC4mQq/s320/8-21-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
What are these? Why pickles, of course. I planted some cucumbers in the garden this year for the specific purpose of making pickles. This is only the second batch as I only put in four plants and it has been pretty dry, so not many cucumbers. These are freaking delicious though, and ridiculously easy to make. I heard about it on the <a href="http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/" target="_blank">Survival Podcast</a>, or you can check out the recipe <a href="http://www.wildfermentation.com/making-sour-pickles-2/">here.</a><br />
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In studios news, I got a load of stuff glazed and fired. Here are some before and after pictures of the top shelf. I am really digging the tall oval vase forms. They are fun to make and create a very nice "canvas" for decoration. Now I just hope they sell so I can make more.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgu7Iasbo4DcfpZdJtHw4KX28tAK-R7skxATEF6vgoDJ_O2B1Thtd_19OirGD_v04SYtw2DBKe4ZEuHmp_VJaMENxqYYLXF2VjNGkYhOMdhuotL0RNnn2LbRYLLtScM22wzQPeXpTkZ7q/s1600/8-21-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgu7Iasbo4DcfpZdJtHw4KX28tAK-R7skxATEF6vgoDJ_O2B1Thtd_19OirGD_v04SYtw2DBKe4ZEuHmp_VJaMENxqYYLXF2VjNGkYhOMdhuotL0RNnn2LbRYLLtScM22wzQPeXpTkZ7q/s320/8-21-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
There were also a couple other new forms in this load...small planters, small lidded jars and garlic keepers. The small jars are possibly one of my favorite forms thus far.<br />
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And the culmination of the red clay (again with these references to stuff I put on Facebook!)...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgppOPJ05YJxSqFzMeNHhwgFpxm8hVx7O9xiqba6NmOqXfOHVCJCl_fJ5gw5skJun7qGAR7ZY8e7hZaXEOkLcYxFVjM4sQs8acXPGsh-kYHKIRlFoTRLgboY8YkRb1kttNyhY_x5OWtM8Qz/s1600/8-21-4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgppOPJ05YJxSqFzMeNHhwgFpxm8hVx7O9xiqba6NmOqXfOHVCJCl_fJ5gw5skJun7qGAR7ZY8e7hZaXEOkLcYxFVjM4sQs8acXPGsh-kYHKIRlFoTRLgboY8YkRb1kttNyhY_x5OWtM8Qz/s320/8-21-4.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRjp9fWrRUhJKGhjljEDTJAxEJPDcBaYUNzew-V9jCZwCaURF1QttuIk5tm4xMpaP8tUUsAYXRZcXuN5YlusHMwI9WokQXCfKsWlr_YBmVO0EHC8bBPW1d68x5keRaQtjJfwxk8zfxuZ74/s1600/8-21-5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRjp9fWrRUhJKGhjljEDTJAxEJPDcBaYUNzew-V9jCZwCaURF1QttuIk5tm4xMpaP8tUUsAYXRZcXuN5YlusHMwI9WokQXCfKsWlr_YBmVO0EHC8bBPW1d68x5keRaQtjJfwxk8zfxuZ74/s320/8-21-5.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After.</td></tr>
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This teapot and all the other red ware got a nice coat of white slip before decoration. It worked out much better for some pieces than it did for others.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6pqIIlDi1s-k5CvJ0Ts4lZ6beFww8zwamKvg7hUGQCf8uDt3BISERcXMeXLbodo-MlX_pyLFI34hrskUfsx0W9k3DKLHugOEAZAdJf7gicJRsoGKW6USFTkJ-2Y0uKiIZcbNJOFxK1WX/s1600/8-21-6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6pqIIlDi1s-k5CvJ0Ts4lZ6beFww8zwamKvg7hUGQCf8uDt3BISERcXMeXLbodo-MlX_pyLFI34hrskUfsx0W9k3DKLHugOEAZAdJf7gicJRsoGKW6USFTkJ-2Y0uKiIZcbNJOFxK1WX/s320/8-21-6.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alas! I shall be resting no spoons!</td></tr>
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This spoon rest, for example, I tried to move too soon after dipping it in the slip. <i>Did you know that if you dip a leather hard pot in slip it will rehydrate and become soft again?</i> Good, because that is just plain common sense! Only a foolish individual like myself would forget this and ruin a good pot because of it.<br />
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But wait...there's more...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72RXnL4xwx1S1Ma46lWa8iuCiw1oDvkflMp43pev_cWQIbQ4gP5x1JdToZVqMfYS4IyMC4XLm0bMQpx349T877kaR0v9wK4TM5TIV103N0jZAlH7ZYRs4CpU_pNx7ZZYxf3NP-kWIIWsC/s1600/8-21-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72RXnL4xwx1S1Ma46lWa8iuCiw1oDvkflMp43pev_cWQIbQ4gP5x1JdToZVqMfYS4IyMC4XLm0bMQpx349T877kaR0v9wK4TM5TIV103N0jZAlH7ZYRs4CpU_pNx7ZZYxf3NP-kWIIWsC/s320/8-21-7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of these things is not like the other one... some on, sing!</td></tr>
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These mugs looked great after I dipped them, all slippy and just waiting for some sgraffito. When I came back to check on them though, the handle had broken off <u>every single one</u>. Not sure why. <br />
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Not all of the red ware broke though; and I really dig how the survivors turned out...more folky than my usual stuff. I definitely want to give this stuff another shot, but without all the ruination. If anyone out there has any experience with this sort of work and knows what I may have done wrong, or even if you just have any tips in this area, please give me a shout.<br />
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As for the stuff that <i>did </i>make it...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLx0TboIocJSOo8OHTNDeWNFDSih7kVq6lKT-WI-bAb0AuLu2L5kqzX_O6C7Rv8xKBljm_1t9q1pPk1VgWKS16ILVo4mmgJQEtgkXN0a801UixUo3d7DMYqX5oNDxCskDCuvV074a4zyhY/s1600/8-21-8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLx0TboIocJSOo8OHTNDeWNFDSih7kVq6lKT-WI-bAb0AuLu2L5kqzX_O6C7Rv8xKBljm_1t9q1pPk1VgWKS16ILVo4mmgJQEtgkXN0a801UixUo3d7DMYqX5oNDxCskDCuvV074a4zyhY/s320/8-21-8.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The aforementioned small lidded jars and a couple of spoon rests immediately post dipping.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiohaF38GOKfoGsmMZ9LpHrkb7LLjfJiJ8DGLkEzgE3bYK5ojLSUfEBTe1LhDNVCO0h4z55dZ2A5VyCgneM90r_J87RTYimyvBHmltEu6jvNOIrfEzCubqz0oMUwBCUxcRBJ464dS01tawB/s1600/8-21-9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiohaF38GOKfoGsmMZ9LpHrkb7LLjfJiJ8DGLkEzgE3bYK5ojLSUfEBTe1LhDNVCO0h4z55dZ2A5VyCgneM90r_J87RTYimyvBHmltEu6jvNOIrfEzCubqz0oMUwBCUxcRBJ464dS01tawB/s320/8-21-9.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jars and teapot after being decorated.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxMqFubmRxFwH3qgpmJSnjDGybw2afgQmtIHwwf3s0KeAvs1O9dhxTs9lewfVWNjP8bhoCFvf_iDHq4uktYZdcJG9zhAz_KQX0QMTABk-uYCWuq9GpCXhp2bViSyx_k11TWYQDd7gT7kzz/s1600/8-21-10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxMqFubmRxFwH3qgpmJSnjDGybw2afgQmtIHwwf3s0KeAvs1O9dhxTs9lewfVWNjP8bhoCFvf_iDHq4uktYZdcJG9zhAz_KQX0QMTABk-uYCWuq9GpCXhp2bViSyx_k11TWYQDd7gT7kzz/s320/8-21-10.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Large (16-17 inch) platter with a crane.</td></tr>
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The larger pieces (platter and teapot) were sprayed with slip as they would not fit in the bucket, and that seemed to help the breakage problem, but the handle of the teapot still cracked at the bottom. Knackers. </div>
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These are all in a bisque firing right now. I am quite anxious to get them glazed and see what they will look like all finished up. </div>
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Actually I would <i>really </i>like to go to it on these things with an underglaze pencil since <a href="http://www.simplecirclestudios.blogspot.com/2012/07/yogi-doodles-and-nefarious-air-whales.html" target="_blank">the experiments</a> and the stuff in the last kiln load came out so well. Unfortunately my underglaze pencil is almost used up. And even if it <i>wasn't</i>, my electric pencils sharpener (which is apparently the only way this pencil likes to be sharpened) is jammed, so I cannot even sharpen what is left of it sufficiently. Oh well, next time.</div>
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Speaking of platters, (We weren't really speaking of platters. That was just a nice way to switch to a different subject. It's called a transition; I learned about those in English class. And even though that was a pretty poor transition, we are going to roll with it.) the platters I have been working on are all scratched up (decorated, that is) and in the kiln. No pictures yet, other than this one.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijL0t8kAta6bWR9ze9ZG5C9gswuQmIPiPfw50wW6Ljfsc7s5Ob9GgQM5IjvG_R6lHp86OiBFnMS-Ga-k5fPYzwhkPVk2H0OhtYwEefrZY3Cq1iJjePzoQ0VydpfCxb03d37Mn3IVikWpCd/s1600/8-21-11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijL0t8kAta6bWR9ze9ZG5C9gswuQmIPiPfw50wW6Ljfsc7s5Ob9GgQM5IjvG_R6lHp86OiBFnMS-Ga-k5fPYzwhkPVk2H0OhtYwEefrZY3Cq1iJjePzoQ0VydpfCxb03d37Mn3IVikWpCd/s320/8-21-11.JPG" width="257" /></a></div>
The platters were too large to fit in the make-shift spray booth that I normally use, so I had to move operations outside. Luckily it was not windy at all, so the spraying of slips went off without a hitch...the dog helped. I enjoyed it so much in fact that I may (weather permitting) continue spraying work out of doors.<br />
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And last but not least...<a href="http://grooveshark.com/#%21/saint_vitus/songs" target="_blank">Saint Vitus!</a><br />
Old school doom metal band ala Black Sabbath. <br />
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Up next...Timmy Tabasco! <br />
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Post Script: I have a show coming up this weekend in Belleville, IL. <a href="http://www.midwestsalute.com/" target="_blank">Midwest salute to the Arts.</a> It kind of sneaked up on me, so I have been rushing to get some stuff done this week. If you happen to be in the area feel free to stop by and say hi!<br />
-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-42025501978533933792012-08-14T20:56:00.001-05:002012-08-14T20:56:44.415-05:00Platters, trailer trash and how not to take pictures...<br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liger" target="_blank">Ligers... </a></div>
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This...</div>
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<img height="266" id="il_fi" src="http://lisadelay.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/aries-liger-cub-hercules-picture.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="400" /></div>
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...not this. </div>
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<img height="231" id="il_fi" src="http://drunkensanta123.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/liger.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="250" /></div>
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Despite what <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_Dynamite" target="_blank">Napoleon Dynamite</a> may have inadvertently led you to believe, ligers are indeed real creatures. They are feline hybrids and they are freaking monsters.</div>
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I am right now, at this very moment, coming to you from <a href="http://www.thehangar9.com/" target="_blank">Hangar 9</a>, where I am enjoying a very tasty brew. That's right, I am working from a bar. Let's hear it for free wireless internet! I may have to make a habit of this.</div>
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And as nice as that may be for me, it will not necessarily make for a better blog post, at least not this time. As much as I may try, I am not very good with taking pictures of stuff as I am working on things. Thus a lot of this may be written as opposed to pictorial. Or it may just be a shorter post; in which case it may indeed be a good post depending on your reading habits.</div>
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Enough muckity-muck; on to the goods.</div>
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If you follow me on Facebook (side note: my marketing consultant wife would probably say I should encourage you to go to my face book and "like" me and such, but I honestly do not care. That stuff is not terribly enjoyable to me.)...if you follow me on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/SimpleCircleStudios" target="_blank">Facebook</a> you may have seen that I have been coming around on the platter making. In the last post I said that my platter endeavors were less than satisfactory, only getting a 15 inch platter out of 18 pounds of clay. After that though I was able to stretch a 17 - 18 inch platter out of 15 pounds of clay.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg13oai23_bUJ73XczrTprQzXN5RLhkZ3kZrS6881u_7CPG7YCSNM9hZHxwxNc7cn3dGLUUAmKdri1xcxDuJtHiG2q0hi9ojL_HE9HwOScSupLAkqbulGmD29JKWf9aU7zVikqapKcZh2-f/s1600/8-14-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="109" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg13oai23_bUJ73XczrTprQzXN5RLhkZ3kZrS6881u_7CPG7YCSNM9hZHxwxNc7cn3dGLUUAmKdri1xcxDuJtHiG2q0hi9ojL_HE9HwOScSupLAkqbulGmD29JKWf9aU7zVikqapKcZh2-f/s320/8-14-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufFVagUX9NfVjH_fP8dmcD8BoJc1-L3dYfpRh6_onQEMEA_E4M2PKdjIJxJTJbWv756bfnaBjN7WlW6zByPFuKfHQQT8PsKfcsMN5jfajbiNhz6P5Alobk61erZD7hpydsng3pj141Wv_/s1600/8-14-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufFVagUX9NfVjH_fP8dmcD8BoJc1-L3dYfpRh6_onQEMEA_E4M2PKdjIJxJTJbWv756bfnaBjN7WlW6zByPFuKfHQQT8PsKfcsMN5jfajbiNhz6P5Alobk61erZD7hpydsng3pj141Wv_/s320/8-14-2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
The platters 6 before being trimmed. Even with three less pounds of clay, though, there is still a lot of extra clay to be gotten rid of.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh523vvnV6ZyXP87bVwIePcqGTfQAw-cLc3mhyCKb6OEeUC1G4-4B2oUafQsP6EUF4rYSpT2NX37mWr-p1hS6p5EdCToaQ365fla36_mt5AWQkoFDKiNYOlUBI8JoqmdugbA1VyzX2rEBXv/s1600/8-14-3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh523vvnV6ZyXP87bVwIePcqGTfQAw-cLc3mhyCKb6OEeUC1G4-4B2oUafQsP6EUF4rYSpT2NX37mWr-p1hS6p5EdCToaQ365fla36_mt5AWQkoFDKiNYOlUBI8JoqmdugbA1VyzX2rEBXv/s320/8-14-3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
This is the scrappy mess of a wheel after the cutting. And this is after cleaning up most of the trimmings 4/5ths of the way through. Oh well; so it goes.<br />
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On a completely unrelated note, I got a trailer!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqxir46BeaPNJEEkuPJMcfbxLvrJFaeTvcC9KWYEUzlPyEixpI1FwFGUSr0W9L77U7Fss-_kbV75uv9cDlJUhGDqOZ-YXh-HEyb6qjx6CGypLorLu2m-Xo3Vg17B2IFN7twFBQIOPF5Uto/s1600/8-14-4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqxir46BeaPNJEEkuPJMcfbxLvrJFaeTvcC9KWYEUzlPyEixpI1FwFGUSr0W9L77U7Fss-_kbV75uv9cDlJUhGDqOZ-YXh-HEyb6qjx6CGypLorLu2m-Xo3Vg17B2IFN7twFBQIOPF5Uto/s320/8-14-4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
A very short time after I got my truck all set up with a camper (for hauling art fair stuffs and camping at those art fairs), <a href="http://www.simplecirclestudios.blogspot.com/2012/06/monkeys-pie-and-how-not-to-fix-truck.html" target="_blank">my truck decided to give up the ghost.</a> Although I never put any pictures or anything up here, I got a new truck, but no camper. Instead of going the camper route the wife and I decided to get an enclosed trailer to haul stuff around. And it has tons more room and lights for camping at shows. Good deal. Now all I have to do is learn how to back it up without running over anything.<br />
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Ok, it is getting late (ish) and I am out of pictures, so I am going to officially throw this out into the ether and head home. But first...<a href="http://grooveshark.com/#%21/artist/Artificial+Lover/2270632" target="_blank">Artificial Lover.</a> Not real sure how to describe this other than oddly good.<br />
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Up next...what is the biggest potato ever grown?<br />
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-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-11352258277549956022012-08-08T12:15:00.000-05:002012-08-08T12:15:10.430-05:00Squirrels, platters and how to store your butter...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As many of you may be aware, the world did not end in 1954. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_Prophecy_Fails" target="_blank">The planet Clarion did not come to call but Dorothy was undeterred, even though the doctors were watching.</a></div>
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I was actually going to write this up last night, but firefighter duties put a stop to that. Which brings us to the PSA portion of the blog post.</div>
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<u>Fire Prevention Tip #089:</u> Do not allow squirrels to store their acorns and such in your electrical fuse box.</div>
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Oh well; so it goes.</div>
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I am firing a bisque today, so I don't really want to be out in the studio anyway. Air conditioned blogging sounds like a much better option. I <i>did </i>get a large platter trimmed before the studio got too hot, though.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI0WUHc6DiZmdfWekgz6kh6ss2AlZoThqmL3miSGmt7ImURqPga1gMLO6coNZe9uutLYX_T02RcEiNqcwbIyAg9QAe_juh33HZxLF4ooWpX1FnbI0AkrQPIfjgYzq3MIgUca7JfaK_iATP/s1600/8-8-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI0WUHc6DiZmdfWekgz6kh6ss2AlZoThqmL3miSGmt7ImURqPga1gMLO6coNZe9uutLYX_T02RcEiNqcwbIyAg9QAe_juh33HZxLF4ooWpX1FnbI0AkrQPIfjgYzq3MIgUca7JfaK_iATP/s320/8-8-1.JPG" width="319" /></a></div>
Here is the platter in question right after being thrown. I say it is large, but when it is all said and done it will only be around 14 inches or so across. That is pretty weak considering I used about 18 pounds of clay to make it. I have not made very many large platters, so it still a bit difficult to stretch the clay to where I really want it. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOdQK5pEBwMKvqZl1M75B2WnaiJ0sYwYrzh-gymDJY533JN8vmQ8eaNb8M5nF5mj_BB_LXqepHRF14Y5w72YdHfxYTMpKv-FAUQArv9nQ-4eD-AHl4ad4hM0mm6zrbiBuAtBUlHPMizoUL/s1600/8-8-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOdQK5pEBwMKvqZl1M75B2WnaiJ0sYwYrzh-gymDJY533JN8vmQ8eaNb8M5nF5mj_BB_LXqepHRF14Y5w72YdHfxYTMpKv-FAUQArv9nQ-4eD-AHl4ad4hM0mm6zrbiBuAtBUlHPMizoUL/s320/8-8-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Here is the platter in question after a <i>lot </i>of trimming. I may not be great at throwing platters yet, but I think I got it trimmed up pretty nice. <br />
I did not take a picture of it, but the foot is undercut on the inside to allow for easy hanging on the wall. I have tried making holes for a wire, but that just seems like and extra, unnecessary step when this works just as well. And this way I do not have to worry about orienting my decoration to the wire. I'm not saying I have failed to <i>do</i> that in the past...I <i>meant </i>for those pieces to look crooked. <br />
I am going to be making quite a few more of these, both because I need the practice and because that large surface area presents some very enticing decoration opportunities.<br />
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Speaking of decoration...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1oX_K5Yh1Xp_pCf3a8fqYhuLjZTBMnslTI3exDBPprtHzdBORloK6_Agfd0HDYF-lyi5E93Z-IIvxo6ZPek2ZC0Qxy5FG_wDHuemhgzlN8X7EA15UV-rmyhoczRXklH0V5ja8b-KNvwr/s1600/8-8-3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1oX_K5Yh1Xp_pCf3a8fqYhuLjZTBMnslTI3exDBPprtHzdBORloK6_Agfd0HDYF-lyi5E93Z-IIvxo6ZPek2ZC0Qxy5FG_wDHuemhgzlN8X7EA15UV-rmyhoczRXklH0V5ja8b-KNvwr/s320/8-8-3.JPG" width="319" /></a></div>
I am totally digging how this one turned out. This fancy little <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_butter_dish" target="_blank">french butter keeper</a> thing is in the kiln right now. I have made regular butter dishes in the past and liked the end result, but they are pretty laborious to make. These are not as complicated (less components to put together) and are probably more practical.<br />
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And finally, <a href="http://grooveshark.com/#%21/s/Why+Don+t+You+Know/4uxAVt?src=5" target="_blank">Mitchmatic: Why Don't You Know?</a><br />
Hip-hop-ish music, but not really. Fun stuff.<br />
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Up next...ligers!<br />
<br />-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-50218108872903072622012-07-31T21:35:00.000-05:002012-07-31T21:35:11.228-05:00Yogi, doodles and the nefarious air whales...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="306" id="il_fi" src="http://www.yogasolnsb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Yoga.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="459" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No, this is not me. Although I am diggin' the beard and the orange diaper.</td></tr>
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I have been dabbling with yoga as a means to adding some stretching to my less than regular workouts. Nothing like this pretzel looking fellow, just simple stuff to loosen up. I used to be pretty flexible when I was stretching for sports everyday. Now though...well, I am not. Perhaps it will help relieve the tension that builds up after sitting at the wheel or scratching pots for hours on end.</div>
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The garden got some much needed tending over the weekend. Not as much as it really should have had, but perhaps enough to keep it going for a little while yet. Noah helped out, of course. He was quite proud of the red tomatoes he was picking. most of which he promptly ate.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxkXdgJuOLAvb3yADdn-yGCb5Vqvo53KrDwDuaUzyQ0LtZU3KIp20221zTFGd-IQxnYJEUwYn2JoYlUWGmlnKIZHqBJz4Ge_94mrlfF0N_xIH1KXaxua11EDvzBl74AZLUpv9_zxvBsC-/s1600/7-31-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxkXdgJuOLAvb3yADdn-yGCb5Vqvo53KrDwDuaUzyQ0LtZU3KIp20221zTFGd-IQxnYJEUwYn2JoYlUWGmlnKIZHqBJz4Ge_94mrlfF0N_xIH1KXaxua11EDvzBl74AZLUpv9_zxvBsC-/s320/7-31-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See this tomato? This tomato is going in my belly!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Between the meager harvest from my garden and the bumper crop my father-in-law has been pulling in I was able to make up ten or so pints of pasta sauce.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3TqTni0EMJct7E2-cHxxqYSnEMvcw2Qh6ThKPZYYDLyICU21bPKGFMLl686rBPBAgkqOxrCAdO-wkRpmX2vxdKoBI0tKnibwkmLwtBuTIp3xrvSmjvIZ-MP5x89diVBcVyl79qWLUm_Y/s1600/7-31-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3TqTni0EMJct7E2-cHxxqYSnEMvcw2Qh6ThKPZYYDLyICU21bPKGFMLl686rBPBAgkqOxrCAdO-wkRpmX2vxdKoBI0tKnibwkmLwtBuTIp3xrvSmjvIZ-MP5x89diVBcVyl79qWLUm_Y/s320/7-31-2.JPG" width="320" /><span id="goog_1194814675"></span><span id="goog_1194814676"></span></a></div>
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It is just a package of spice mix that you add to the tomatoes, but it comes out pretty good. And at $1.50 per package I think it is a bit cheaper than store bought stuff. And then there is always the satisfaction in knowing that (most of) it came out of your own land.</div>
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As far as the studio goes, the glaze firing last week turned out pretty good with a couple minor-ish guffaws. I was especially happy with how the underglaze pencil experiments turned out.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5YALugHzxMmnwZIHNEd42CoMAD-k8b2R-EW5LFxSztxKgr6tvacL0IRzv2ikX9mAe3XAR_FhcYH0nBmQgPa0RLxjDqH9vXzvBQAqgSRZNF3_t_osVR2yiNkViNmBiKu8Ho_9rRXXm4_x4/s1600/7-31-3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5YALugHzxMmnwZIHNEd42CoMAD-k8b2R-EW5LFxSztxKgr6tvacL0IRzv2ikX9mAe3XAR_FhcYH0nBmQgPa0RLxjDqH9vXzvBQAqgSRZNF3_t_osVR2yiNkViNmBiKu8Ho_9rRXXm4_x4/s320/7-31-3.JPG" width="319" /></a></div>
They fired slightly lighter than when they were first drawn on, but not too much. The drawings retained the vast majority of their detail, which I was not sure they would do. I'm not super keen on the drawings on the plain white clay, but they look pretty tasty over the colored slips that I normally use.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQDKxqaqGjEHwHpZkxjKR18PxibMCQEUc_-_gbaXHol7TsuflinwKStCaPYo7Wjk4sjuqkbvXTa03_TwJmsxvwWAG3QS1MuxTjzGtTqdcnJk0ZjXIXfRNp3oAt9VG1qIYjck2mkHvYeFbK/s1600/7-31-4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQDKxqaqGjEHwHpZkxjKR18PxibMCQEUc_-_gbaXHol7TsuflinwKStCaPYo7Wjk4sjuqkbvXTa03_TwJmsxvwWAG3QS1MuxTjzGtTqdcnJk0ZjXIXfRNp3oAt9VG1qIYjck2mkHvYeFbK/s320/7-31-4.JPG" width="319" /></a></div>
The layering thing is pretty cool, and I can get more information on each piece to tell more of a story and such. I plan on utilizing this a lot more in the next few loads. Eventually I would like to add even more layers of information with decals and perhaps lusters.<br />
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The only real let down in the kiln also happened to be a special order that is over due.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfq9L7Jrxb8u5sz3oq5Uz2QyrU0ga0f8fw63wORYkWGIq1qEOhue1fKM28OTjn-EB6QtYiRQxfKPxN_0Vb9xPnGFMDQsk5aiAxiDVkbHQAk4qf-OzkeUC5WRVaajPDhFXxGJoqwDCg2Xy/s1600/7-31-7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfq9L7Jrxb8u5sz3oq5Uz2QyrU0ga0f8fw63wORYkWGIq1qEOhue1fKM28OTjn-EB6QtYiRQxfKPxN_0Vb9xPnGFMDQsk5aiAxiDVkbHQAk4qf-OzkeUC5WRVaajPDhFXxGJoqwDCg2Xy/s320/7-31-7.JPG" width="319" /></a></div>
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This is not the piece in question, however it was decorated with the same slip. What was supposed to be a deep red/maroon turned out as a very pale pink. Not exactly what I had in mind.<br />
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The new blue slip I used this time around turned out much better than the red. It is a bit brighter than the old one, but it works well.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Lxa1gFOKQIqug-I6Adth9dYsuu7daQx-8029aqBh5ClPq5STcAR9rXy__hfvSCOllQCQmZ4he-tQZEDEO7WhniwcAP66hBQdD0anzRysoFK7orev0cBlkJGwWroeYrLZKE-Xz811PSmB/s1600/7-31-8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Lxa1gFOKQIqug-I6Adth9dYsuu7daQx-8029aqBh5ClPq5STcAR9rXy__hfvSCOllQCQmZ4he-tQZEDEO7WhniwcAP66hBQdD0anzRysoFK7orev0cBlkJGwWroeYrLZKE-Xz811PSmB/s320/7-31-8.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a skunk...because I like skunks.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjK-1QJlA3HQ-lTHh8JG9LHt-HIWheXI0hHfKpPtjj_iJeT1CFAq-6wc0bGTc-YGKla_Bnj8W3NHNWxcD65OTUIzCcCNgmcub7ZYKn1rImcBw9es7SQaY3SuNYtOi_hy-wZVHkBmZg9v8V/s1600/7-31-9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjK-1QJlA3HQ-lTHh8JG9LHt-HIWheXI0hHfKpPtjj_iJeT1CFAq-6wc0bGTc-YGKla_Bnj8W3NHNWxcD65OTUIzCcCNgmcub7ZYKn1rImcBw9es7SQaY3SuNYtOi_hy-wZVHkBmZg9v8V/s320/7-31-9.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cartoon owl on a starry night...</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Here is another piece that I have been working on for a while now that will hopefully work out better.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLg9HsLixLjVMfUYxjHouRlVd5EGFw8Kv3nkkzcU2rh9y3JVYh3m1aTve5X4M4HRuQNCJtIPvBkdFC9ueH2uFOyxYhUy7kZwkuW_JSyy1_tmMj_KJGbFZqjYoJUe8bmwFCCCujmxjpp2Ca/s1600/7-31-5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLg9HsLixLjVMfUYxjHouRlVd5EGFw8Kv3nkkzcU2rh9y3JVYh3m1aTve5X4M4HRuQNCJtIPvBkdFC9ueH2uFOyxYhUy7kZwkuW_JSyy1_tmMj_KJGbFZqjYoJUe8bmwFCCCujmxjpp2Ca/s320/7-31-5.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Air whales...</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHqVhCsm-mRZjCqHdFR_WlWQcZe7UTt9wkFF-LagwtQrPcwvAvYBtLdXtmrDD6vwm2GHNccDQCzhBrbVAqP6-nMFo_EkMNRDme-gDgDLEJ8qg3WZSCx_MjHBnsnioeadVdZSUlvPiD2AQ/s1600/7-31-6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHqVhCsm-mRZjCqHdFR_WlWQcZe7UTt9wkFF-LagwtQrPcwvAvYBtLdXtmrDD6vwm2GHNccDQCzhBrbVAqP6-nMFo_EkMNRDme-gDgDLEJ8qg3WZSCx_MjHBnsnioeadVdZSUlvPiD2AQ/s320/7-31-6.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...the scourge of the seven skies.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I started with the carvings of the clouds and zeppelins, but then got stuck. I knew it needed something else and I wanted to use whales, but I wasn't real sure how to get them on there. When I got the underglaze pencil I took another crack at it. I like the direction it is going, but I am not sure it is completely there yet.<br />
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I guess that is all for now. Up next...how not to burn yourself while putting a pizza in the oven. Wait, scratch that. I was unsuccessful in that endeavor.<br />
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Up next...the planet Clarion.<br />
<br />-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-26071182209529121572012-07-25T11:30:00.004-05:002012-07-25T11:30:45.825-05:00Bats, bags and seeing red...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img height="312" id="il_fi" src="http://bestbeardtrimmer.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/beard-line-0508-lg.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="240" /></div>
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I told my wife that 2013 was going to be the year of the beard. She scoffed at the idea, citing the fact that thus far in my 30 years of life the extent of my facial hair growth has stopped at scraggly chin hairs. We shall see...<br />
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Ok, I have a shit ton of pictures to put up, so words will be minimal. First up, making a new bast system. I never seem to have enough bats when making jars and such so I worked up this rig. Now I will have a copious amount of cheap bats that will store easily and such.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNBz_4o4bpQgdD6EdCeNFIoMJxZH0uLYqKd1_Eq_pXRN6vdYslJa6Pa0_rLqb9_yQ4nsOB9Ov25OezP8XJX7V0Pla2Vb7WXl5E_bFqoO2TQXqZGnY3o9pEZ7rGcqvXADEg2CFYKd2o9xt/s1600/7-25-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNBz_4o4bpQgdD6EdCeNFIoMJxZH0uLYqKd1_Eq_pXRN6vdYslJa6Pa0_rLqb9_yQ4nsOB9Ov25OezP8XJX7V0Pla2Vb7WXl5E_bFqoO2TQXqZGnY3o9pEZ7rGcqvXADEg2CFYKd2o9xt/s320/7-25-1.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tools of the trade: 6.5 inch square cut out of one sheet of masonite, glued to a second sheet of masonite, 6.5 inch squares cut for bats.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holes drilled for bat pins and notch cut for easy removal of bats.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZIrA8pP6GVFD6uxxiH6Xvn6M2Q61qa5zCku4VGp1N3_1CzPuGYLjpVnGm14OaB130iKBgTqwnQlFEYPaEuy3Y_BIsH-V6SjL0fV8PYmcQI0wnBwHknRgb4YSScXiEA0cDmwsCFXtUPmt/s1600/7-25-3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZIrA8pP6GVFD6uxxiH6Xvn6M2Q61qa5zCku4VGp1N3_1CzPuGYLjpVnGm14OaB130iKBgTqwnQlFEYPaEuy3Y_BIsH-V6SjL0fV8PYmcQI0wnBwHknRgb4YSScXiEA0cDmwsCFXtUPmt/s320/7-25-3.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edges of bat trimmed down to fit inside splash pan.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qTwThmJazlfOj4nGYpCexumyW5wYDDhfWNxMdH8ztq_vc2mD2uiy8-weAS9slL6Xk1zYMQ-9Qqt6nEWpe-yvFeuBzYbQVgGEswHC0mmQtbfPb8KC6aVi3WnRDAyPTr7r_wgQgVnG_ePF/s1600/7-25-4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qTwThmJazlfOj4nGYpCexumyW5wYDDhfWNxMdH8ztq_vc2mD2uiy8-weAS9slL6Xk1zYMQ-9Qqt6nEWpe-yvFeuBzYbQVgGEswHC0mmQtbfPb8KC6aVi3WnRDAyPTr7r_wgQgVnG_ePF/s320/7-25-4.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New bat system on the wheel with bat in place.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggOuWb8-GJtWBykAniYoeG2EGnsiLSQ4CU1CjCPTixlDMD4QaIjIpTLq7ogaFC5TYKWzhLMo2TBxPy49A6v4T6yAFLlSSyZkRv-AU-atMTV-85xQfPZYRhjQYgrLtLKd4ozy0OsMDyhO48/s1600/7-25-5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggOuWb8-GJtWBykAniYoeG2EGnsiLSQ4CU1CjCPTixlDMD4QaIjIpTLq7ogaFC5TYKWzhLMo2TBxPy49A6v4T6yAFLlSSyZkRv-AU-atMTV-85xQfPZYRhjQYgrLtLKd4ozy0OsMDyhO48/s320/7-25-5.JPG" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In use.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZvgFeA7b51dRA5ALMbiLKHSwD5Gd9t9onnx2ZojHxPAN4ayRyU2R73Hqnrb0a26XOCtqGO4F9frykizRpOfToEvSdJr5AiElDXyeJIkFAI7UeHft12c0lau8nInXVKZSzEQgqilYwHln/s1600/7-25-6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZvgFeA7b51dRA5ALMbiLKHSwD5Gd9t9onnx2ZojHxPAN4ayRyU2R73Hqnrb0a26XOCtqGO4F9frykizRpOfToEvSdJr5AiElDXyeJIkFAI7UeHft12c0lau8nInXVKZSzEQgqilYwHln/s320/7-25-6.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jar and lid successfully thrown on new bats and taking up very little space.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I think I may need to put a couple coats of shellac on everything to keep it from warping, but all in all I think it will work quite well.<br />
<br />
Last week I went up to <a href="http://kruegerpottery.com/" target="_blank">Krueger Pottery</a> to grab some supplies I desperately needed to finish up some custom orders and such. I got a bunch of glaze/slip materials, mostly in 50lb bags as they are much cheaper that way. The only problem now is that I am not sure where I am going to store everything. Oh well, small problems.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiub0npO_DzEw2NAsAbSrwWIts2-xLhAe9XCCuqCLs1dnP7bhq-cJ1KluLAyQS23NKBAChxqRBRyaSXDLys5gFEjjjkaL4rgIaUIvxxJbYXXkSJZdS_F76V2K5uBjzNZhyphenhyphen3tT2opdcIeCrb/s1600/7-25-7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiub0npO_DzEw2NAsAbSrwWIts2-xLhAe9XCCuqCLs1dnP7bhq-cJ1KluLAyQS23NKBAChxqRBRyaSXDLys5gFEjjjkaL4rgIaUIvxxJbYXXkSJZdS_F76V2K5uBjzNZhyphenhyphen3tT2opdcIeCrb/s320/7-25-7.JPG" width="319" /></a></div>
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I also got a <a href="http://kruegerpottery.com/glazing-accessories/sieves/talisman-hand-sieve.html" target="_blank">Talisman hand sieve</a> to work up my slips and glazes. I had been having a slight problem with clumps and bits of muck in some of the slips. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-OdLr_z-LGQE85MBoI7uD9A_94gG4KunweO6ODsrvTkKC0y5wnMpakuZkL1ldnA5m3p2ZszcAfg0Gf_2kjuAdA4rgjIqIKk4c0iaNxDMq_z9JMhFpwj0UuXig5tIC38fFVAFCEQRmVk-/s1600/7-25-9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-OdLr_z-LGQE85MBoI7uD9A_94gG4KunweO6ODsrvTkKC0y5wnMpakuZkL1ldnA5m3p2ZszcAfg0Gf_2kjuAdA4rgjIqIKk4c0iaNxDMq_z9JMhFpwj0UuXig5tIC38fFVAFCEQRmVk-/s320/7-25-9.JPG" width="319" /></a></div>
The sieve works fine, but it is a bit smaller than I expected. The description said it would fit on a "normal size" bucket, which I naturally assume means a 5 gallon bucket, but not so...falls right in. I guess I will have to make an adapter ring so the sieve can sit on the buckets without having to muck about with it.<br />
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I also got a couple bags of plaster so I can finally finish up my reclaim bin. Now I can recycle the many many pounds of slop clay that have been sitting around the studio.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtYGiWhMD_wMFXqq7m-ot7Rxu3McAkVYXxgEK-CNVjkI0ZlfBOTDjGfJfogvbAleGUHDcL-2ws-mDB86o5rIcWsyPGk3RNA3MHqnSxolC0FHfEIHCpinqdzMAxNVJHI3suSQoKrwRmEM3/s1600/7-25-8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtYGiWhMD_wMFXqq7m-ot7Rxu3McAkVYXxgEK-CNVjkI0ZlfBOTDjGfJfogvbAleGUHDcL-2ws-mDB86o5rIcWsyPGk3RNA3MHqnSxolC0FHfEIHCpinqdzMAxNVJHI3suSQoKrwRmEM3/s320/7-25-8.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
It does, however, weight just slightly less than an elephant, so I will have to find a good, mostly permanent place for it in the studio.<br />
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Yesterday I loaded and fired a glaze load, which is currently cooling. It is probably cool enough to take a peek now, but I am going to wait a little while yet. Pictures of finished work next post. For now here are some pictures pre-firing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7mxQET_tjb3_Yjh37x09Gm67W09kBHWbrD3s5QfEf0u3Q7zAi4t8QBrjdaxTAiBF3AQBKV6OPMahpSNBLU7czJNaqGVVSKu7DrDsiCrIXZByyzNKietYcIfGhT6zJ9Cgxy14Pt2ZkJFnG/s1600/7-25-10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7mxQET_tjb3_Yjh37x09Gm67W09kBHWbrD3s5QfEf0u3Q7zAi4t8QBrjdaxTAiBF3AQBKV6OPMahpSNBLU7czJNaqGVVSKu7DrDsiCrIXZByyzNKietYcIfGhT6zJ9Cgxy14Pt2ZkJFnG/s320/7-25-10.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bisque-ware pre-glazing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi47CSMaPe0say5qMnbSDgryjssmlHm61SGUvOXSgLldM8kpVT4J70jndH9vlTMuhX9mwEnjTu-4jNP1uLDqVfw5YHpQGsPhxGUWSbxyW_tvrT64qA2ywy8I65T1o8Ef3z8KbN28RPFSZaV/s1600/7-25-11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi47CSMaPe0say5qMnbSDgryjssmlHm61SGUvOXSgLldM8kpVT4J70jndH9vlTMuhX9mwEnjTu-4jNP1uLDqVfw5YHpQGsPhxGUWSbxyW_tvrT64qA2ywy8I65T1o8Ef3z8KbN28RPFSZaV/s320/7-25-11.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Figures for surprise mugs. Freaking great and much fun to make.</td></tr>
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At ye olde pottery shop I also picked up a underglaze pencil to play around with. I have tried underglaze sticks before with not very good results. They were difficult to sharpen and almost impossible to get any detail with. This new one, though, is cased in wood making it very easy to sharpen. It also seems to be a bit harder than the last ones I tried, so it holds a tip longer and gets better detail. My only complaint so far is that they smudge a bit, so I have to be pretty careful while working on pieces. This, of course, is a pretty minor problem and should be an easy fix.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LHHMVgU0YmjEDROYyx8y8v3CWADQ-I_BPbD5lQxlS_r2ohK-ISj4lAC8QqXr_pQ-7ohytt7y-_HnsDLJlWx4Bf_qFvF7yx3F0cCqaeyFlaJuBZjFUfAkfbBb4DP0eWhDW2m-6QVjK8kK/s1600/7-25-12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LHHMVgU0YmjEDROYyx8y8v3CWADQ-I_BPbD5lQxlS_r2ohK-ISj4lAC8QqXr_pQ-7ohytt7y-_HnsDLJlWx4Bf_qFvF7yx3F0cCqaeyFlaJuBZjFUfAkfbBb4DP0eWhDW2m-6QVjK8kK/s320/7-25-12.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Underglaze pencil experiments.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I really enjoyed drawing on the pots and was very happy with how the illustrations came out. We will see how they look after being glazed and fired.<br />
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And last but not least, a chance to <a href="http://www.ronphilbeckpottery.com/" target="_blank">Philbeck</a> it up. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkpBnR2P7Jmj6pIkTTiZ6wLK8ff4EeXLvnXzzKme5Jh9qpqgfSvV9jOhgXQpTbqejvkFIG-Emd1KEWWx9p_URHDUTSZGy3H4tVlbnDSs1Am7EAZuK89Z-gzy2Ghp41a9g_7SO5FP-TA1A/s1600/7-25-13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkpBnR2P7Jmj6pIkTTiZ6wLK8ff4EeXLvnXzzKme5Jh9qpqgfSvV9jOhgXQpTbqejvkFIG-Emd1KEWWx9p_URHDUTSZGy3H4tVlbnDSs1Am7EAZuK89Z-gzy2Ghp41a9g_7SO5FP-TA1A/s320/7-25-13.JPG" width="319" /></a></div>
I got a bucket of terra cotta clay from who knows where and it has been sitting around for quite a while. The other day I finally wedged it up and ended up with about 35 pounds or so of nice red clay. Not enough to do much with, but plenty to play around with.<br />
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Up next...yoga?<br />
<br />-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-18615175640969755432012-07-17T20:53:00.004-05:002012-07-17T20:53:43.952-05:00Ferocious felines, a portmanteau and how to make the change...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img height="363" id="il_fi" src="http://www.danafredsti.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/flying-dream.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="640" /></div>
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They are quite possibly the greatest dreams ever. Enough said.<br />
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Now, on to the good stuff. <br />
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There is a serious lack of craft breweries, and breweries in general in southern IL/southeast MO. Oh, there are a couple in the area. There is <a href="http://bigmuddybrewing.com/" target="_blank">Big Muddy in Murphysboro</a>, <a href="http://www.bucknerbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Buckner in Cape Girardeau</a> and a couple wineries that have jumped on the band wagon. I am also eagerly awaiting the opening of <a href="http://scratchbeer.com/" target="_blank">Scratch Brewing in Ava</a>. When you compare it to say, Chicago though, this area really doesn't have much. Certainly not enough to do a proper brewery trail (although there is talk of organizing one). As a lover of craft beer, I would like to see this changed. Somebody get on that.<br />
Actually, if there was anything I could do aside from being a potter it would probably be working in a small brewery/brew pub. I would be fine with doing little stuff, but it would be wicked cool to help create the brews. So if there are any breweries in the Carbondale, IL area that have a few extra bucks to throw around (HA!) and need some part time help, give me a shout.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoc0QQ5RU0RJBnS0ye5F4y-T0TvgBhZabsYTMuMqitvK70oB3Luh0-_UmJUICTSFIH9d07EMODyPAzkz4_Czczxo9IA6ZpGfQC5fUltb_hkOPzJ-1aT9W0OfPL21Sk81KZv-07wV4w4ftr/s1600/7-17-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoc0QQ5RU0RJBnS0ye5F4y-T0TvgBhZabsYTMuMqitvK70oB3Luh0-_UmJUICTSFIH9d07EMODyPAzkz4_Czczxo9IA6ZpGfQC5fUltb_hkOPzJ-1aT9W0OfPL21Sk81KZv-07wV4w4ftr/s320/7-17-1.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Say hello to Maggie.</td></tr>
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Maggie is the new cat my wife and I decided to get recently. I am not entirely sure why my wife wanted to get a cat. I think it has something to do with thinking it would be cute watching Noah playing with one. It <i>is</i> kind of cute, but only for us. Maggie seems terrified. Of course that may be because Noah's idea of playing with Maggie is getting 2 inches from her face and laughing hysterically. <br />
<i><b>I</b></i> am hoping Maggie grows up to be a ferocious beast and hunts down all the moles that have been tearing up our back yard. In the mean time she has been running around the studio pestering the dogs and such. She seems quite interested in whatever I am doing, trying to jump in my lap and get on the wheel whenever I am throwing or trimming, attacking my elbow when I am decorating, etc. It is not too bad having her around the studio most of the time. She has only broken a few pieces...so far.<br />
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Luckily these were not among them.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirYT3j-fMQk1m9jKzBq5Trd0Ygtf6nAxfTvEPbcXs8IMpWms6Y_0j_WtGB16o2wfQmCC9mireBJDF9sf0MEWT7G5BTIIvEubvEdvWWwPyhtx9n54Xj-sYjlM59xNLENW0ydKjdHOdANqT4/s1600/7-17-3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirYT3j-fMQk1m9jKzBq5Trd0Ygtf6nAxfTvEPbcXs8IMpWms6Y_0j_WtGB16o2wfQmCC9mireBJDF9sf0MEWT7G5BTIIvEubvEdvWWwPyhtx9n54Xj-sYjlM59xNLENW0ydKjdHOdANqT4/s320/7-17-3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baa!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSSi68rCYufvbmBkfUZ8if5U87JigVfWzBq0kxXBgxSBJSbPC_Fzc1i6mcN4d6bBI97a49jSPhJACJavz9jJXaif1hro0a6bzDOIaQG6GZ-YtYOVqIh3CsDWLT1tZTPGRKwuxidf-EgALL/s1600/7-17-4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSSi68rCYufvbmBkfUZ8if5U87JigVfWzBq0kxXBgxSBJSbPC_Fzc1i6mcN4d6bBI97a49jSPhJACJavz9jJXaif1hro0a6bzDOIaQG6GZ-YtYOVqIh3CsDWLT1tZTPGRKwuxidf-EgALL/s320/7-17-4.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baa?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
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I made these beer steins recently featuring people with sheep heads, or "sheeple" if you prefer. Now, there are some particular associations with the word "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheeple" target="_blank">sheeple</a>." Although this is where these pieces started, once I got working on these they became more about the visuals and less about the meaning. I was really just having fun with the images, seeing how different sheep heads would look on different bodies and such. They start a story in my mind. I am hoping they do the same for other. I think I may continue this line of decoration and do a little run people with various animal heads. Swine-dividuals? Cow-mans?<br />
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Last post I was rankling about the oppressive heat. As luck would have it two days after that post my wife's grandpa brought over this little gem! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JdA_UStOs1BilP3ltLCLYCVLu1_vUEG1SxrzZDuvmwlB5Ms6zj7jiFZC7mhdfBtP07zLoyw42dSRQk5Dk4gC8IRgtQvP5_WN5OXvNzYymFrwUaUJKOek0mJHZvnA6CbWBAxsr8nIiB9q/s1600/7-17-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JdA_UStOs1BilP3ltLCLYCVLu1_vUEG1SxrzZDuvmwlB5Ms6zj7jiFZC7mhdfBtP07zLoyw42dSRQk5Dk4gC8IRgtQvP5_WN5OXvNzYymFrwUaUJKOek0mJHZvnA6CbWBAxsr8nIiB9q/s320/7-17-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet, sweet conditioned air!</td></tr>
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He has owned numerous rental properties and now has quite a collection of things that were left behind, this being among them. I thought it was going to be a bit too small at first, but not so. I usually only run it at about 20 - 25% power and it cools the garage-io plenty for comfortable working conditions. Freaking great.<br />
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And finally, I have been seriously thinking about making a major style change with my pots lately. Currently my work is sgraffito decorated stuff fired to cone 5/6 in an electric kiln. I enjoy the pieces I make, but came on this style more as a result of circumstances rather than choice. <br />
Originally I wanted to get some sort of graphics on my pots. The more I work on pots and in my sketchbook, though, the more I want to see the illustrations on paper instead of on pots. That idea has been floating around in my head in a sort of insubstantial way the past few months or so, but was really solidified in the past two weeks. I have been working on building up inventory and have found myself putting off the decorating part of the work in favor of throwing more. A pretty fair sign that it may be time to move in another direction.<br />
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In addition to graphic pots (and probably before those, actually) I have always been extremely interested in wood, salt and soda firing. The pots that come out of those kilns are just plain beautiful. There is definitely something to the interaction of the clay and the flame. Those pots seem to have a different, more natural life than pots that I have been making.<br />
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So now the question is how to transition from what I <i>am</i> doing to what I <i>want</i> to do. Whenever I figure out what I want/need to do I want to get to it right away. I have plans to go to a wood firing workshop next year, but that is an awful long ways away. I have looked for other potter wood firing in this area to sit in on or help with firings, but to no avail. I know SIU (the college 'round these parts) has a wood kiln, but I am not sure how often it gets used. I am thinking about contacting the ceramics professor there to see if I can help with anything there or maybe even audit a class or something. If I can get in on something like that I may even try to stretch it into getting into the graduate program. I am sure my work would benefit from some serious critiques, especially if I am going to try my hand at wood firing.<br />
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Ok, that was a lot of eff-ing writing, so enough of this. Next time...beards!-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-5665622202720695532012-06-28T21:23:00.000-05:002012-06-28T21:37:16.441-05:00Kangaroos, the good folk and the complexities of the quadrupel......<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Apparently the largest kangaroos are the reds, which can grow to a height of 6 1/2 feet. Disappointing...I thought they got bigger than that. I was really hoping for a nine foot behemoth that could stand on its tail and put a foot through a brick wall...oh well. On to the meat and...you know.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOY0MHFxt9TUaKb_F9H0SaoxrqmMJA95PElS7Zp0AvSdvhz9sdoTgqU049-FdjD6L9nqvv9aDFmvW_dEwomT6uw220z-7cpcAktmJn7M2GCN3fwRoZPBxk-IxbT9VKTTp_-oSmXN7zrADB/s1600/6-28-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOY0MHFxt9TUaKb_F9H0SaoxrqmMJA95PElS7Zp0AvSdvhz9sdoTgqU049-FdjD6L9nqvv9aDFmvW_dEwomT6uw220z-7cpcAktmJn7M2GCN3fwRoZPBxk-IxbT9VKTTp_-oSmXN7zrADB/s320/6-28-1.JPG" width="319" /></a></div>
This is a quick shot of some volunteer potatoes I pulled out of the compost yesterday. They are all just little things, but they were unexpected so it was just a nice little bonus.<br />
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It has been hotter than a...something that is really, really hot...I'm not very clever. Anyway...as such I moved my decoration operations indoors today (I usually do my sgraffito scratchy scratchy outside, better light & such) in an effort to keep a little cooler. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QkuoWt-m-t0zlRp9bRJdN7qG7FchCBuBxgmyBpfJD4dw32_I0Uww6V0VwZAgBELkwbcsfgWQIGtwCfZLI_bqdD2TwVPwlKH4XhJIRkbYZAU8auZzTxJikt9ktLsqRkURUMTmAs7Tyt0x/s1600/6-28-4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QkuoWt-m-t0zlRp9bRJdN7qG7FchCBuBxgmyBpfJD4dw32_I0Uww6V0VwZAgBELkwbcsfgWQIGtwCfZLI_bqdD2TwVPwlKH4XhJIRkbYZAU8auZzTxJikt9ktLsqRkURUMTmAs7Tyt0x/s320/6-28-4.JPG" width="318" /></a></div>
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It did not work. My studio is in my un-airconditioned garage, so it is still pretty warm in there. Not as hot as it is outside, but still quite uncomfortable. (And don't worry, the dog in the background is not dead, just resting.) Thus I am now inside working on the computer and whatnot.<br />
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Excessive heat aside, here are a few of the things I have been working on the last two days.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPPLlZXpUXYt2MBqqEPXdzfebT6elohJqDo-cXuYFdvhHk16p4FEnItuNMZSRGtbIGx0wroGDa8ibI0HVCh7ZYc_hYQ60V3ZCGZkD2v60D_Yon4O8WQhzFJNiZ9M_cxAI8Py8xuVwlLm3a/s1600/6-28-5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPPLlZXpUXYt2MBqqEPXdzfebT6elohJqDo-cXuYFdvhHk16p4FEnItuNMZSRGtbIGx0wroGDa8ibI0HVCh7ZYc_hYQ60V3ZCGZkD2v60D_Yon4O8WQhzFJNiZ9M_cxAI8Py8xuVwlLm3a/s320/6-28-5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hopefully these wine buckets/crocks will be occupying shelf space in a local gift boutique. I like the one on the left with the offset feather/leaf thing. The one in the middle with the lattice pattern is so-so. And I am really digging the one on the right with the art nouveau-ish flowers. Thoughts?</div>
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One of the things I am working on while escaping the heat is drawing. I try to work in my sketchbook whenever I get a chance, which is unfortunately not too often. It is usually when I have a custom order for a subject I have not really worked with before. Thus is the case today. I recently got an order for a mug with a fairy on it. Now I am not really a fairy kind of person, so I need to do a little research and drawing first. Where to turn (aside from the computer webs)?</div>
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A fantastic little book called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Faeries-Collectors-Edition-Brian-Froud/dp/0810995867/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340921026&sr=8-1&keywords=faeries" target="_blank"><u>Faeries</u></a> by <a href="http://www.worldoffroud.com/index.php" target="_blank">Brian Froud</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Lee_%28illustrator%29" target="_blank">Alan Lee</a>.</div>
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I originally saw one of Froud's books in the Barnes and Nobles and loved both the style of the art and the fantasy theme (I am a bit of a geek some times). Being remarkably cheap though, I passed on getting it. Later when I needed reference material for a fairy order I knew exactly what to look for. Off to <a href="http://thebooksyoulove.com/" target="_blank">the Bookworm</a> (our local book store) to get this classic tome. </div>
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And lastly, while in town getting a great book on the wee folk I also acquired a fine bottle of beer to celebrate yet another year of not dieing. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH7nGHBuJPJzImvk9TVSL-FQemkZg-oNbw9JJt5Dok-_lI4q_YA0hG6E3v8hDceu8BEvYVqP2geaV-JBAMM8cBr7ItdaZpzz5-Tb4Gk0L-3wX2ucoOTzV7mEq4-x4rHLKpmVEWzPPExLHl/s1600/6-28-3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH7nGHBuJPJzImvk9TVSL-FQemkZg-oNbw9JJt5Dok-_lI4q_YA0hG6E3v8hDceu8BEvYVqP2geaV-JBAMM8cBr7ItdaZpzz5-Tb4Gk0L-3wX2ucoOTzV7mEq4-x4rHLKpmVEWzPPExLHl/s320/6-28-3.JPG" width="151" /></a></div>
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In case you cannot read that label, the brew is <a href="http://www.ommegang.com/index.php?mcat=1&scat=4#%21beer_three" target="_blank">Three Philosophers from Brewery Ommegang</a> in NY. It is a very complex, very tasty quadrupel ale with a dash of a cherry ale thrown in for good measure. It takes some time to work through all the different things going on in this beer; definitely a sipper.</div>
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Up next...dreams of flight.</div>
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-Rob, Simple Circle Studios</div>
<br />-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-25354744932690150172012-06-20T22:00:00.000-05:002012-06-20T22:00:34.688-05:00Monkeys, pie and how not to fix a truck...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img height="300" id="il_fi" src="http://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/space-rhesus-monkey.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="400" /> </div>
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The first monkey to be sent successfully into space was Albert II, a
male rhesus monkey, who made it to a height of 83 miles (134 km) on June
14, 1949. Albert II was carried aboard a V2 rocket as well, though his
fate was not as lucky as that of the fruit flies: a problem with the
parachute on the recovery capsule sadly led Albert II to his death from
the force of the impact upon landing.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Courtesy <a href="http://www.universetoday.com/38704/first-monkey-in-space/">UniversityToday.com.</a> </span></div>
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This past Sunday my sweet wife did something unprecedented...she baked a pie. Scratch that, she baked <i><u>two </u></i>pies.
It is not like she never bakes pie, but it is pretty damn close. If
you count the one she baked for me Sunday, I am averaging one pie every
five years. It is ok though. She made me a pecan pie and it was
freaking fantastic. Which naturally leads to the question, how long
does it take one person to eat a whole pecan pie?</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last piece...such a sad, sad day.</td></tr>
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I managed to make this one last two days but it took a great deal of restraint. I probably could have polished it off as soon as it came out of the oven.</div>
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And after she finished making my pecan pie she made a chocolate pie for herself. The thing I have always thought was kind of funny about chocolate pie is that it is just chocolate pudding in a shell. Why not just put it in a bowl and save yourself the trouble? </div>
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On a side note, these are the egg yolks she used to make her pie. Now those are some big, orange yolks...definitely NOT from factory farm chickens.</div>
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And now for the (unfortunately) continuing saga of the truck. I thought the fuel filter did the trick. I took the truck for a spin after I switched it out and it ran fine. The next day I went into town to run some errands and my trusty, reliable truck shit on me again...twice. </div>
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Luckily I was right next to the sweet wife's place of employment and was able to swing it into the parking lot. There it sat for the past week plus; I finally go it home today. </div>
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Now, it could be fixed. Since the fuel filter didn't correct the problem, it is probably the fuel pump...or something else fuel related. The alternator also appears to have gone by the wayside, though. Again, it could be fixed, but the sweet wife and I have been dabbling with the idea of getting a new truck anyway, so now seems like a pretty good time. I am actually going to look at a truck tomorrow, so hopefully the saga will conclude by the week's end.</div>
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**Wait! There is late breaking news on the truck front! My two year old son just said he could fix my truck with prunes..<span style="font-size: x-small;">.perhaps...perhaps...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">In studios news, I would like to again sing the praises of the portable, home made damp box. </span>I think I did a post on it a while back, but I couldn't find it. The idea originally came from <a href="http://www.clayandglassblog.com/2011/03/clay-damp-boxes-my-new-best-friend.html" target="_blank">Meagan Chaney</a> and I have been using it successfully since I read her post. Basically you fill the bottom of a plastic container with plaster. When the plaster is set you saturate it with water and add a lid...boom, instant damp box.</div>
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I have had a lid in one for a few weeks that was actually too dry to trim when I put it in. I pulled it out today and it trimmed just fine. Perhaps a little on the dry side still, but good enough to get the job done.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Compost crock says, "Me eats garbage, me makes good dirt!"</td></tr>
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And thus ends the Simple Circle Studios blog post number...whatever it is. Now I have to go brush my teeth; good oral hygiene and whatnot. </div>
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Next time...how tall is a kangaroo?</div>
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-Rob, Simple Circle Studios</div>
<br />-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-53282063522434479052012-06-06T17:08:00.003-05:002012-06-06T17:10:28.598-05:00Don't ever say your car is broke...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Kombucha!!! </div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kombucha" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img height="333" id="il_fi" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/Kombucha_Mature.jpg/225px-Kombucha_Mature.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="225" /></a></div>
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Go ahead...click the picture. You know you want to. <br />
And here you thought I was going to go on some SoAD rant.</div>
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A little more than a month ago I did an art fair in Paducah, KY. Aside from it being a little hot, it was a good show. Right up until I tried to go home. I was cruising down the road in my gem of a truck when things went awry. Whenever I tried to accelerate the truck would hesitate a bit, then pick up again when I let off the gas. Not a good sign. (Actually it started happening on the way to Paducah, but only once or twice and I had things to do, so I didn't think about it.) The problem quickly got worse, forcing me to down shift to 4th, then 3rd, then finally to pull off the road where the truck promptly died. The sweet wife kindly came to pick me up because it was too late to do anything else. The next day I borrowed my in-law's car to check things out. A few hours and two tow trucks later the truck was back in the driveway, still not running. </div>
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And there it sat, patiently waiting to be fixed. Unfortunately I could not get around to doing that as I was getting ready for another show in three weeks. </div>
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Finally this week, after a kick-ass show in Webster Groves, MO (more on that later) I chatted with our mechanic neighbor and came to the conclusion that it was probably the fuel filter that was gumming up the works. Between yesterday afternoon and this morning, after two trips to the auto store, the truck is running once more! Turns out it was indeed the fuel filter causing problems; the new one is performing like a champion...so far. </div>
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Now I have almost three months until my next show, so I have a good deal of time to build up inventory, work on the display and post stuff on etsy. Heck I just might even have time to get some yard work done. Or at least post on the blog a little more frequently.</div>
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Next time...Space Monkies!</div>
<br />-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-4627959816207744262012-05-11T09:49:00.001-05:002012-05-11T09:49:47.912-05:00One day Tommy ate a bug...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span xmlns="">The Yeti!</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.scaryforkids.com/pics/yeti-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" id="il_fi" src="http://www.scaryforkids.com/pics/yeti-01.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="400" /></a></div>
<span xmlns="">A couple weeks ago I was at an art fair in St. Charles, MO. I had never been there before, but apparently they have a quaint little historic main street area filled with various shoppes, boutiques, restaurantes, etc. it was not too shabby a place for an art fair. Traffic was on and off, partly due to the interesting weather that struck Saturday. I always find it odd when the sky gets made enough at you to throw chunks of ice and such. It rained for a brief bit and then turned to quarter and golf ball sized hail. Thankfully it did not last very long and the weather was a bit better Sunday. I was happy with the whole deal and hope I get to go back again soon. I would have pictures, but I am terrible about remembering the camera and such.</span><br />
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<span xmlns=""> </span><span xmlns="">I am always amazed at how little time artists get in the
studio some times. The two weeks before the St. Charles show I don't
think I stepped a foot in the studio. I did however build a new display
set up featuring a number of pedestals and shelves. I was pretty
pleased with how they turned out, but it will take a bit of tinkering to
get everything arranged in the booth just so. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOQekslMB4Je-DY5PlztfHw22jIiOPUJrMhnACNFWr1P_npCxfrL8gZqFKZMgqNFSf8YKfZRg-t4MgbfUQp0dIxjdz_0JDWkwHcX-pUkPBVextOTUdFcbdYdalMCdZwfjlpvElH53jZaI/s1600/DSCN2346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOQekslMB4Je-DY5PlztfHw22jIiOPUJrMhnACNFWr1P_npCxfrL8gZqFKZMgqNFSf8YKfZRg-t4MgbfUQp0dIxjdz_0JDWkwHcX-pUkPBVextOTUdFcbdYdalMCdZwfjlpvElH53jZaI/s320/DSCN2346.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tools of the Trade</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmsLF0-pATmEr2JHsvE2t7DCrnTHomfFNwP1DArN8o6nsMbHzi46ROiBBRC8YyeXBhj7th7uQNyzLna5UDaYT-GPS5nFz7bYd8eZ80fikROaJQzbtx63nL3agIJwUT-4yyxz6l2dcmk0sA/s1600/DSCN2344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmsLF0-pATmEr2JHsvE2t7DCrnTHomfFNwP1DArN8o6nsMbHzi46ROiBBRC8YyeXBhj7th7uQNyzLna5UDaYT-GPS5nFz7bYd8eZ80fikROaJQzbtx63nL3agIJwUT-4yyxz6l2dcmk0sA/s320/DSCN2344.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pieces of the puzzle</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpExU9fGKFyjeJHhltXEr-vOWQfe_52cNDNlirE7ZZsMJO1U20PloLqjc9r0M1WsO7ED2KybLtPrxRK9IPGZIn6Q8zmUujofopO535dKg20kzMvdjnwvsdvuDndSX79VU0S_oD8kc1sFnF/s1600/DSCN2350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpExU9fGKFyjeJHhltXEr-vOWQfe_52cNDNlirE7ZZsMJO1U20PloLqjc9r0M1WsO7ED2KybLtPrxRK9IPGZIn6Q8zmUujofopO535dKg20kzMvdjnwvsdvuDndSX79VU0S_oD8kc1sFnF/s320/DSCN2350.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The end result</td></tr>
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<span xmlns="">They are still a little rough, but they work. I will clean them up and paint them eventually, but it is not really a pressing matter as they get covered with cloth for the display.</span><br />
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<span xmlns="">And on top of the new displays, I finally got a new tent! Some shows require a white tent canopy, but the one I have is blue…shazbot. I was originally looking for a high end tent (craft hut, trimline, etc.) and actually found one for a really good price on ebay. Unfortunately the person who listed it had no idea what they were doing and I never got the tent. Thankfully ebay has a buyer protection program, so I got my $1100 back. Later I found a cheaper tent that, while not quite as good, will serve the purpose and last a good while as long as it is well cared for. It will get a test run this weekend as long as the weather cooperates.</span><br />
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<span xmlns="">And I finally got around to finishing a few teapots I started a number of weeks ago. I tweaked a few things from the last teapot I made, which did not pour quite right. These have narrower spouts, so hopefully that problem is taken care of. The handles are still a little weak; they need to be a bit beefier in the profile.</span><br />
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<a href="http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/544878_210468762404039_100003227499518_349300_542935033_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="spotlight" height="240" src="http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/544878_210468762404039_100003227499518_349300_542935033_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span xmlns="">And last but not least, for anyone who might be in the following areas at the following times, I have a couple shows coming up in the next few weeks. May 18-20 I will be in Paducah, KY at the Lowertown Arts Fair. June 1-3 I will be in Webster Groves, MO (close to St. Louis) for the Art & Air Festival. It would be wicked cool of you to stop by if you can.</span><br />
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<span xmlns="">Next time…kombucha!</span><br />-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-79397458533438265802012-04-24T15:58:00.003-05:002012-04-24T15:58:51.287-05:00He lives in a hobbit-hole and everybody knows...<span xmlns=""></span><br />
<span xmlns="">Mr. T, of course.</span><br />
<span xmlns="">Now, a brief recap of the Dogwood and Azalea Festival in Charleston, MO. (the show I was at this past weekend)....It was not great. I think it was just the wrong market. It was more of a county fair kind of thing rather than an <i>art</i> fair. There was a lot of crafty stuff and imported buy/sell stuff being sold on the cheap, so $20+ pottery was not as sought after. Fine for what it was, but apparently not the place to hock my wares.</span><br />
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<span xmlns="">On top of that, the weather was terrible. It rained pretty much all day Friday. Saturday it did not rain, but it was still windy and cold. Sunday started off a little warmer, but ended up getting chilly again and raining on and off all day. Suck.</span><br />
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<span xmlns="">One the plus side I did get to try out my new truck camper. It was acquired last week so I could camp instead of getting a hotel, drastically reducing my overall show expenses. It has already paid for itself, so good deal there.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-7MAJvhFneNpaIAHChJlZMltEy2uSeytSHima4pb5J2xmWkNObW4UxIRWGRp2Bpvi-TAx0q6zqy_kjFGWLb2X5sLpYpk4ZoVLH8zrdDy6WOKCSukhLEwByuRxIREJwqH5uh792_qFbkf/s1600/DSCN2340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-7MAJvhFneNpaIAHChJlZMltEy2uSeytSHima4pb5J2xmWkNObW4UxIRWGRp2Bpvi-TAx0q6zqy_kjFGWLb2X5sLpYpk4ZoVLH8zrdDy6WOKCSukhLEwByuRxIREJwqH5uh792_qFbkf/s320/DSCN2340.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span xmlns="">Here is a picture of my little hobbit hole. You may notice that the back window is taped up and held closed with a ratchet strap. Yes, the camper needs a little work, but it served its purpose so far and will not be difficult to fix up.</span><br />
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<span xmlns="">On another note, I had an official logo made up for the studio. I think it fits the bill pretty well.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1Sg46a2OGmf5vvU4n783g_8iBQmsmswqRAJjFIVMSpeQU3Piv7EQsNqkg4oXJIxdeuOdKpwWH-mGAtarEWwD-tBfGMKlOZB0GQKLMYH07ZSxxeRN3wMoct-3wXTS_qfjtUJtQG9vrowv/s1600/Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1Sg46a2OGmf5vvU4n783g_8iBQmsmswqRAJjFIVMSpeQU3Piv7EQsNqkg4oXJIxdeuOdKpwWH-mGAtarEWwD-tBfGMKlOZB0GQKLMYH07ZSxxeRN3wMoct-3wXTS_qfjtUJtQG9vrowv/s320/Logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span xmlns="">I know, I know..."You're and artist, why didn't you just make your own logo?" While I have <i>drawn </i>logo designs in the past, I am not a computer person and do not know how to format it to use on a website, business cards, etc. Since </span><span xmlns="">drawing </span><span xmlns="">a logo directly onto my computer screen just doesn't work and drawing </span><span xmlns="">a logo on each business card</span><span xmlns=""> would be very inefficient, I decided to go the professional route. My new logo was designed by Sharon Reynolds Haege. You can check out <a href="http://www.wix.com/sharonreynoldshaege/info#%21" target="_blank">her website here.</a></span><br />
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<span xmlns="">Speaking of business cards, I just had some made featuring the new logo. Hopefully they will be finished in time for the show this coming weekend in St. Charles, MO. The St. Charles show (<a href="http://www.saintcharlesriverfrontarts.com/index.php/spring-artwalk-2012">7<sup>th</sup> Annual Spring Art Walk</a>) is in a much more affluent neighborhood and just features artists. No imported buy/sell stuff, no Ferris wheels or corndog stands...I have much higher hopes for this weekend. Now I just have to make sure my display is up to snuff.</span><br />
<span xmlns="">Up next…the Yeti.</span>-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-21062790553162379992012-04-13T20:38:00.000-05:002012-04-13T20:40:13.808-05:00A bunch of freakin' stuff<u>Topic #1: Flies in the ointment</u><br />
It really sucks when you have nice pieces that are irreparably flawed in some way. These are three such items. The top two are in pieces now, but the designs will undoubtedly be used again. The bottom one is still usable, just not sell-able. It will take up residence on the kitchen window sill.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFts1cPE44mProvzTCe6s6PYuRTHvz2pHkBPaLETWoXWU98Sf1xMyJqSKPex77UstSwrsNV13rJnb2rUC6_zPebFNlTQ0C_9rO1N2B-n1ueSVCru_DTFrkIOLQSnG2-x8Sgwb_c6Hpq9FI/s1600/DSCN2098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFts1cPE44mProvzTCe6s6PYuRTHvz2pHkBPaLETWoXWU98Sf1xMyJqSKPex77UstSwrsNV13rJnb2rUC6_zPebFNlTQ0C_9rO1N2B-n1ueSVCru_DTFrkIOLQSnG2-x8Sgwb_c6Hpq9FI/s320/DSCN2098.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was an experiment with underglaze and wax resist. The experiment worked fine; the bits of detritus that settled in the bottom of the cup did not.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ElbXe3Qw1mVUUUA1M6chYNauYu5Zvd0KuA5fVICWyvBxZQSJkWmxNfo1yF2w4igYwac6vS4_3hOTV2ahNpSInHJ3Plhf03Tj2ua91cIRyVsCn8kt4vTDoKNkbLARP-tvPA66fLThGid7/s1600/DSCN2101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ElbXe3Qw1mVUUUA1M6chYNauYu5Zvd0KuA5fVICWyvBxZQSJkWmxNfo1yF2w4igYwac6vS4_3hOTV2ahNpSInHJ3Plhf03Tj2ua91cIRyVsCn8kt4vTDoKNkbLARP-tvPA66fLThGid7/s320/DSCN2101.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sacred cow had two little pop-outs from bits of who knows what in the clay. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithKnesIimilxAm999cGr-ujc5M7-Om7bYcDiJ8sPZBCi5Rhg6hxH3UwVtcqKBeQ1qhmX5QM-vuh_HHJwWCtKUqhnj-TnbO2RZTiJyoP0Rju0TlTl9bkBTKq8m-DRD0teZf-8K_uGxUt9d/s1600/DSCN2106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithKnesIimilxAm999cGr-ujc5M7-Om7bYcDiJ8sPZBCi5Rhg6hxH3UwVtcqKBeQ1qhmX5QM-vuh_HHJwWCtKUqhnj-TnbO2RZTiJyoP0Rju0TlTl9bkBTKq8m-DRD0teZf-8K_uGxUt9d/s320/DSCN2106.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unfortunately that light spot on the left is not just a glare. Apparently part of the slip got rubbed or washed off at some point in time.</td></tr>
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<u>Topic #2: The ones that didn't get away.</u><br />
I unloaded a glaze kiln today and all in all, it was a good firing. There were a few bigger pieces and a couple plates in this load, so I didn't get quite as many pieces in as normal. Thankfully all the orders I had in there came out suitably well. Here are a few shots of some of the keepers.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyR3Q-UpgKT7wsHy2YM67RXix17RZ-PeWdpqtWmh48eAuGB2FYt4ZKY70oESyGxYcek5l6OqGQbVtQfx92QaxIE177J5AFnLEc9g_SdC77JjYMRACkeoqYn-QlFX784B2az6RWlY1dt2gx/s1600/DSCN2108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyR3Q-UpgKT7wsHy2YM67RXix17RZ-PeWdpqtWmh48eAuGB2FYt4ZKY70oESyGxYcek5l6OqGQbVtQfx92QaxIE177J5AFnLEc9g_SdC77JjYMRACkeoqYn-QlFX784B2az6RWlY1dt2gx/s320/DSCN2108.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piggy bank...obviously.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vdPxSS9n_cpFozRiaCEcb-8kY7K-U2SjwVn-sbAyOjX0FPkeU7gsogtw9WN22f1eyGxWqeu5OE_fdBPcdAUsDd1olTTt_BDo6_5zuDZtp1ypJYKcSS2CeIWdUdExwKm_gB2RPq8kmdKM/s1600/DSCN2104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vdPxSS9n_cpFozRiaCEcb-8kY7K-U2SjwVn-sbAyOjX0FPkeU7gsogtw9WN22f1eyGxWqeu5OE_fdBPcdAUsDd1olTTt_BDo6_5zuDZtp1ypJYKcSS2CeIWdUdExwKm_gB2RPq8kmdKM/s320/DSCN2104.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of a "donation" for an upcoming show. There was no booth fee, but there was a required donation for a pre show viewing thing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiTcpmxvXJv7CVB7BR8A1sLCojfBIjiH_jch9vULOG-2FZmZM7WWubipVN-C5JO4eY9GgVL_HBK06lOrQY2_CRQ3KOaS0rD61m4Vkfwj_3Eq_4Z5-TKmWuqTSq1Z1egEDhci_SN0qXnlUA/s1600/DSCN2107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiTcpmxvXJv7CVB7BR8A1sLCojfBIjiH_jch9vULOG-2FZmZM7WWubipVN-C5JO4eY9GgVL_HBK06lOrQY2_CRQ3KOaS0rD61m4Vkfwj_3Eq_4Z5-TKmWuqTSq1Z1egEDhci_SN0qXnlUA/s320/DSCN2107.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SETI inspired works just in time for "World UFO Day" celebrated on June 24 (or July 2, depending on your source).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWlNI2z_cVDn64s55JgMUngUMxOvK0R11L6c3rHreDXN9Oo70d0J17ujZfUEv8IES0c-VqRqWRPapRcEYbcbOlodUqnuj6lkIfc79nvmRsQAf1uMHda9XbamvscIhrsRuYbu1n4Uz3l2Lv/s1600/DSCN2105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWlNI2z_cVDn64s55JgMUngUMxOvK0R11L6c3rHreDXN9Oo70d0J17ujZfUEv8IES0c-VqRqWRPapRcEYbcbOlodUqnuj6lkIfc79nvmRsQAf1uMHda9XbamvscIhrsRuYbu1n4Uz3l2Lv/s320/DSCN2105.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flies can be cool.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4L2jJiRv1IS1ArP4DNemHVupTJOJtu27qf6DRpl3nPPwMjJ2hiNWKTURLrJcRuIUYRwf4Vd4hyphenhyphenaaCXjVbHCBJ-6bFG0vDBYZ8136ii-RSUb_YpAfmtocExQQ3RlolUqfIAuacTrxNx_h_/s1600/DSCN2110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4L2jJiRv1IS1ArP4DNemHVupTJOJtu27qf6DRpl3nPPwMjJ2hiNWKTURLrJcRuIUYRwf4Vd4hyphenhyphenaaCXjVbHCBJ-6bFG0vDBYZ8136ii-RSUb_YpAfmtocExQQ3RlolUqfIAuacTrxNx_h_/s320/DSCN2110.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Civet decoration on a coffee pot...wicked cool.</td></tr>
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Round two got loaded a little while ago. It should be out tomorrow night. The only bad thing about having all this new work is that now I have to take pictures of everything. That is probably the only part of the whole process that I really dislike.<br />
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<u>Topic #3: Living on the edge</u><br />
Or on the rim, I guess. I was playing around with the rim on a couple of ice buckets today, trying to do something more with them than just an abrupt ending. I was pretty happy with the results.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCTDZLscfzg2pRbsSxQcK7nTR4RjTQwGqErOVM8wukCL_DDJ3YAM49ObiIHrl1jpoflkkT66g4zX2-21fg8uXepetfNiBNjLmKc6C8uoV8uaZ0gFez76iPdjAX2XAQELW1scp-xTRQOEqZ/s1600/DSCN2103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCTDZLscfzg2pRbsSxQcK7nTR4RjTQwGqErOVM8wukCL_DDJ3YAM49ObiIHrl1jpoflkkT66g4zX2-21fg8uXepetfNiBNjLmKc6C8uoV8uaZ0gFez76iPdjAX2XAQELW1scp-xTRQOEqZ/s320/DSCN2103.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
It looks better than what showed up in this picture. I think I will try this with a split rim too.<br />
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<u>Topic #4: The most expensive clay in the world</u><br />
I have heard this little quip as a way of describing reclaimed clay. I have also heard that if you have more time than money you should make (or re-make in this case) it instead of buy it. Since I unquestionably fall into the category of more time than money, I will continue to reclaim my clay. To do this I needed to make a new plaster slab as my old one was getting a bit tattered. Perhaps that was the reason for the little pops on the sacred cow.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSWRIkJBYaIsSk_jFvhMzA0zyy-wPZEbhV8qjU4aexMdkTdhff9_2ZOR8WnsvWpihcgSHzyX80A2Kqy2sWRyCrTm6biWSQxM9Z7f3yC0aIB3Gkp-8jbUFxVVKHlvdqSOe_W8VHAj8dGHs/s1600/DSCN2109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSWRIkJBYaIsSk_jFvhMzA0zyy-wPZEbhV8qjU4aexMdkTdhff9_2ZOR8WnsvWpihcgSHzyX80A2Kqy2sWRyCrTm6biWSQxM9Z7f3yC0aIB3Gkp-8jbUFxVVKHlvdqSOe_W8VHAj8dGHs/s320/DSCN2109.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I put this frame together today. I ran a couple1" dowel rods through it to help support the slab as the bottom will be removed once the plaster has set up. Now all I have to do is figure out how to mix good, strong plaster.<br />
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<u>Topic #5: It's killin' me</u><br />
This killin' time, that is. Or perhaps it is the Easter candy sitting on the counter. So what do we do while staring at Easter candy, waiting for a kiln to cool? Make "chocolate" covered pretzels, of course.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfs96IAiB43n84G990y29Ksx-3jpeeT0mCxH5bAEjVWkFppBYpwYSl4Qk08xSyR6G9jF_OJDSryQbnxGTtP1Nm3O5Ijt-QcTT1qN9s16Rfzb9VlKeV2L2EADAFcm9TG334U0b9zUg-A-UA/s1600/DSCN2111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfs96IAiB43n84G990y29Ksx-3jpeeT0mCxH5bAEjVWkFppBYpwYSl4Qk08xSyR6G9jF_OJDSryQbnxGTtP1Nm3O5Ijt-QcTT1qN9s16Rfzb9VlKeV2L2EADAFcm9TG334U0b9zUg-A-UA/s320/DSCN2111.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
To be honest, they are not actually covered with chocolate. The Easter candy was made out of sugar and oil with natural and artificial chocolate flavoring. Not really something I need to put in my body, but when combined with little pretzels it doesn't seem quite as bad. <br />
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Next week: Which is better, a turkey or Mr. T?-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-15532012541012104562012-03-06T10:19:00.000-06:002012-03-06T10:20:59.708-06:00Why I hurt...A month or two ago my wife and I purchased a short term membership to <a href="http://www.crossfitsoill.com/" target="_blank">Crossfit</a>, a local gym. We have both been putting off actually going thus far (my wife still is). Yesterday I bit the bullet and attended my first class...it kicked my ass pretty hard.<br />
Crossfit is not your typical gym though. They have scheduled classes with short, <b><i>intense </i></b>workouts. Yesterday we did squats, kettle bells, pushups, lunges and something called burpees. Doesn't sound like much, but we were supposed to do <i>as many as we possibly could</i> of each of these exercises in four minutes. So the total work out only lasted 20-25 minutes, but <i>everyone </i>was laid out on the floor after it was all said and done. And on top of all that, I chipped my tooth with a weight bar.<br />
I am a strange kind of sore today; my muscles hurt a bit, but they are more <i>tired </i>than anything. It was good though. I am going again tomorrow.<br />
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On the clay front, I was accepted to a couple art fairs last week, which is cool. I was kind of worried about getting accepted to shows for a little bit, so getting into even these <i>two </i>shows is a nice little validation of what I am doing. I still have to apply to shows for later in the year though, so I have yet to see what will happen with those.<br />
The wife and I are also planning a home show type thing in the next month or so. We have a <i>lot </i>of work to do to get ready for that on top of making enough inventory to cover everything.<br />
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And finally, here are a few pictures so this post isn't so dry. This is all stuff that came out of the last load, I think. I just haven't put any of them up here yet. Most of these and more are on my <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/SimpleCircleStudios?ref=si_shop" target="_blank">Etsy </a>page.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_586330058" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5ZxpAA5bxCN-n0oANLYDkY7ONSbIO9GE6OLyQLMqmG9vMF7fDUL7YeM2B6-Ry0n45NqmQWQaRH30c8cltuLLf_uhB-_zAK10TSSmBXSYnhDS91l6PelNY9ZMQtgXsdLYxLGI7hOwyaVP/s320/butter+1e,+12-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/93359854/blue-and-black-ceramic-butter-dish-with" target="_blank">Skull butter dish. Someone asked if I could make one of these, so I did.</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_586330063" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNeqJWh44zxCuB4cbIkR5LwbBhG8WEBiGJX27ddgOh7W0ZFzDIO7b2OWY9yQRcjXoHDPrLSd8ZY1LbbxIwdIRgly6H3qed52SlQDnYFHSqg3b4TPMxPsxjS09KFaOBQtHy2ApRLh2ShMlN/s320/butter+3a,+12-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/93360117/blue-and-green-ceramic-butter-dish-with" target="_blank">Bird and magnolia butter dish</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_586330068" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSs3_cYXBVrpi1Y2iDigbYsmht0YqUj12YH7mfAhlRh3xjYnKSNYSJBmKl9VXD3_PcqR32Jhkv6RV66nGxHq7xn4T8dOAPP826mjJBrvdXOJBy9XzyYCnd1lo6GWJP5gPa_g3XU0QSbFKl/s320/cup+6c,+12-1.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_586330068">The "Baa Baa" cup</a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/93360884/brown-and-black-ceramic-tumbler-cup-with" target="_blank"><br /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_586330073" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhw7Ofwfb3f7JvqDpH2DVKF0ENT0MPcyEAJqAwFpfJPTOfpfEuvpE02mgpUHiTl4W6DRTyiL7mrvWKVdJQ7sbl7m9MWf4zj1DuEkJlBXR-Sb3o9D92SYZ4QKwf9jpFmfsgL-1awThsxt5U/s320/wine+set+1a,+12-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_586330073">Raven wine set</a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/93366555/blue-and-black-wine-set-chiller-ice?ref=v1_other_2" target="_blank"><br /></a></td></tr>
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I guess that is all for now. Until later...<br />
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-Rob, Simple Circle Studios-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-46386327556118405332012-02-15T14:04:00.002-06:002012-02-15T14:04:40.604-06:00A commercial venture for a commercial holiday...Those of you who follow on the facebook may or may not know that I participated in a Valentine's day sale yesterday. A very romantic way to spend a commercially created holiday. So, a brief sale review.<br />
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In short, it was not good. But to be fair, I wasn't really <i>expecting </i>it to be great. The sale was an annual Valentine's day sale in the student center of the local college (SIUC). There were only 20-25 vendors, not all of it handmade, and there was almost <i>nothing </i>for signage directing people to the sale; so it is not like there was a stellar set up to begin with. <br />
Much as I suspected there was not a lot of buying or even browsing traffic. A <i>very </i>small number of people coming to the student center just for the craft sale. Roughly 94% of the traffic through the space were students going to and from class. <br />
The sale started at 10 and I had a few sales in the morning; but pretty much everything dropped off after noon. It was <i>supposed </i>to go until 5, but a few people were packing up at 3:30-4 already. I must say I was very tempted to join them. By that time even the students had stopped coming through. I couldn't bring myself to leave early, though. I always sort of thought of it as a contract when I attend an art/craft sale. If I leave before the sale is officially over I am breaking that contract, even for those sales that don't specifically stipulate that you must stay until the final bell. And you never know when that last minute sale is going to come through.<br />
All in all it was pretty much what I expected...not much. I <i>almost </i>made enough to cover my time and expenses. As it stands I <i>almost </i>made minimum wage. Needless to say I will not be attending that sale next year.<br />
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And now a few shots of the Valentine's day schlock that didn't sell.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilBq69SJax7c7wXltMlN2DMtVH-cW6VfwZ1qC9CgEjz9srU1X3vBz0vhc_EaR1JnMPvCQlz0acGFsfCln8XTnwO9laJnH47w5zU-646J6Yxnwfgyu2cCjqOzHCvHBuKQKi1IAjdx6YF97M/s1600/DSCN1873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilBq69SJax7c7wXltMlN2DMtVH-cW6VfwZ1qC9CgEjz9srU1X3vBz0vhc_EaR1JnMPvCQlz0acGFsfCln8XTnwO9laJnH47w5zU-646J6Yxnwfgyu2cCjqOzHCvHBuKQKi1IAjdx6YF97M/s320/DSCN1873.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy heart jar</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPWIgk9zX9wCjdCqgplBsxru2Eqyn-l9iZmVsFmADh7BpIi4vT1fRWUqEri6SK8MknrRNJyRR6nmO-URoIVcHFyL81DDMRshlqWIkExuCEsDx2xXtiFxCYKjmr22M1YPYHjYYlJ4BCbShr/s1600/DSCN1882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPWIgk9zX9wCjdCqgplBsxru2Eqyn-l9iZmVsFmADh7BpIi4vT1fRWUqEri6SK8MknrRNJyRR6nmO-URoIVcHFyL81DDMRshlqWIkExuCEsDx2xXtiFxCYKjmr22M1YPYHjYYlJ4BCbShr/s320/DSCN1882.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another little happy heart jar</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2457f1jyGaC-iHkit2TesEyazz0FKatkAoTf0KWawJhH5k8FjvcCb57ZpJZ7sTLmIV1LR8F9eJG3t85VW_XbS4gc3xtyZ5A-N36yXvBVERFDUTniX4v2LB6kxtOz5iEgLhDmx47AQrSt/s1600/DSCN1917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2457f1jyGaC-iHkit2TesEyazz0FKatkAoTf0KWawJhH5k8FjvcCb57ZpJZ7sTLmIV1LR8F9eJG3t85VW_XbS4gc3xtyZ5A-N36yXvBVERFDUTniX4v2LB6kxtOz5iEgLhDmx47AQrSt/s320/DSCN1917.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little heart bud vase</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fLynrDQttkulHc7pM55r2YsANuzm8zbCNOZPuVyryWWh_LyRakYelPyNFwdIhicrhiPwljEV2qieUoUfobmq984t-yqxAJ8S3DSKwq66OZoo1tBglxgJNJ_q74kcWBD6AkAf-JuCBDCf/s1600/DSCN1922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fLynrDQttkulHc7pM55r2YsANuzm8zbCNOZPuVyryWWh_LyRakYelPyNFwdIhicrhiPwljEV2qieUoUfobmq984t-yqxAJ8S3DSKwq66OZoo1tBglxgJNJ_q74kcWBD6AkAf-JuCBDCf/s320/DSCN1922.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Heart This" bud vase</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPOk6JC15rFn4D8jWi1yT_0ZwagOhaClFx8fmxMRWQzVXei8GetBw6Flz7hFMTyoW_ukMvxjUeRBeP6irHghKT-KO4Gm-mQ-h776xpr1sqMkqD1-3oEE4tQ1Qh6Y39urgwGtafHByBMDH/s1600/DSCN1942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPOk6JC15rFn4D8jWi1yT_0ZwagOhaClFx8fmxMRWQzVXei8GetBw6Flz7hFMTyoW_ukMvxjUeRBeP6irHghKT-KO4Gm-mQ-h776xpr1sqMkqD1-3oEE4tQ1Qh6Y39urgwGtafHByBMDH/s320/DSCN1942.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"What the f*** is this?!" robot mug</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkDRSgaXKtHefftkzMvl7flnWTPHLhI77dCmUzzuYvNg8bgu7OgYxo5Bi5G1IpywhyphenhyphenSN1H-Dmyc21nLTFk8r6s7Op7YajMg0n4tEZRrLr55n8RjhBgU6Pz9MWze-oHN_qNBqnDhHo1aCOF/s1600/DSCN1947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkDRSgaXKtHefftkzMvl7flnWTPHLhI77dCmUzzuYvNg8bgu7OgYxo5Bi5G1IpywhyphenhyphenSN1H-Dmyc21nLTFk8r6s7Op7YajMg0n4tEZRrLr55n8RjhBgU6Pz9MWze-oHN_qNBqnDhHo1aCOF/s320/DSCN1947.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Cut your heart out with a" spoon rest</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I <i>guess </i>I can see why some of this stuff might not have sold. As I get time it will be posted on <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/SimpleCircleStudios" target="_blank">Etsy </a>though.<br />
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Oh! I almost forgot the art/craft fair quote of the day!<br />
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<u>Elderly female rug vendor reacting to the skull heart jar and human heart spoon rest -</u> "Really?! Come on now...and I'm not too sure about this one either." (After looking at the rest of my stuff) "While I'm not into skeletons and bare organs, you do nice work...your flowers and stuff."<br />
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Does not liking someone's work give you the right to be condescending toward them? Oh well; she wasn't really mean, she was just expressing her opinion. It was actually kind of funny. Ok, that's all for now. Until later...<br />
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-Rob, Simple, Circle Studios-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-83093688953507559772012-02-02T20:36:00.000-06:002012-02-02T20:36:17.375-06:00Here be Dragons!Today I sat outside in a t-shirt and decorated pots. I know everyone has been talking about the mild winter, so it is old news, but come on. February 2 and I was perfectly comfortable outside in a t-shirt. That is some strange brew going on up there in the atmosphere.<br />
<br />Anyway, I have been decorating for a firing coming up next week. I have some consignment stuff in there, some Valentine's day stuff in there (<a href="http://simplecirclestudios.blogspot.com/2012/01/selling-out-or-just-plain-selling.html?showComment=1328235158708#c1856658258196666163" target="_blank">as previously discussed</a>), and some new designs that I have been hankering to try out (sheep, whales, fish, etc). Today I also worked on a dragon design. <br />
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I have thought about doing some dragon designs before. I mean, dragons are just freakin' cool. They always seemed a bit complicated to put on a pot in any sort of expeditious way though. This being the year of the dragon, however, I figured what better time to give it a go?</div>
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I sketched this guy out the other night at a meeting and put him on a cup this afternoon. Not too shabby if I do say so myself. And it didn't take near as long as I figured it would, so good news there. The question is, do I make it year specific or just leave it a generic dragon tumbler?</div>
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Now that I look at it again I think this one will get a "2012" to finish out the design. There will undoubtedly be more dragons wares in the future though. </div>
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On a completely different topic, has anyone else been getting show stuff lined up for the coming year? I am probably getting into this stuff a bit late for some people. There are probably veteran art fair folks out there who already had 80% of there shows applied for and in the bag half way through January. Oh well. My goal for this year is to do at least 10 art fairs. I have two lined up for this fall and am anxiously awaiting responses for a handful in late spring/early summer. For those who have experience with this stuff, do shows generally let you know if you did not make it into a show, or just if you did?</div>
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Well, I guess that is all for now. Until later...</div>
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-Rob, Simple Circle Studios</div>-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-2182608711841766682012-01-20T11:19:00.000-06:002012-01-20T11:20:33.657-06:00Selling Out, or Just Plain SellingToday I went ahead and signed up for a table/booth for the <a href="http://www.siucstudentcenter.org/craft-sales" target="_blank">Valentines day sale at SIUC</a>. (Not a great website, but it gives you the basics I guess.) It is not a very big thing; it only looked like 15-20 people had signed up so far. I figured I didn't have anything going on in February though, so I would go ahead and give it a shot.<br />
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I needed to get some new stuff done for a wholesale thing before February so I went ahead and made some stuff for the Valentines day sale too. Now at first I was not too fond the whole kitchy, make things for specific holidays thing. I had mixed feelings about making stuff specifically for this show, but I did it anyway...sort of. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCQaPmGJMBlPAJ1u5hCb-0LP_CiVF4zHS_Opuifi55j8_3Mil5uDHWbmxkP2Me97todNZ16zOjB-I4RuoyBk_mcxTkTv3a4lNokvYy6jFX1Qg4OvtUm2kdaIkQ-yKCJ_mg9yS9ohWqApQ/s1600/DSCN1847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCQaPmGJMBlPAJ1u5hCb-0LP_CiVF4zHS_Opuifi55j8_3Mil5uDHWbmxkP2Me97todNZ16zOjB-I4RuoyBk_mcxTkTv3a4lNokvYy6jFX1Qg4OvtUm2kdaIkQ-yKCJ_mg9yS9ohWqApQ/s320/DSCN1847.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Not exactly your run of the mill hearts and such, but sort of fits the whole Valentine's day thing...sort of.<br />
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I started writing some sort of diatribe about selling out by making stuff you wouldn't normally make for the holidays. As I was working on it, though, it got kind of convoluted and messy, so instead I will just refer you to a previous post on <a href="http://ronphilbeckpottery.com/2011/11/09/shame-shame/" target="_blank">Ron Philbeck's blog</a> about making Christmas ornaments. There is some good discussion on there about the perceived pottery class system and making what you enjoy making vs. making schlock to turn a quick buck. If you haven't read it yet, check it out.<br />
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As far as the stuff for the Valentine's day sale, I don't think it falls into the schlock category. I really enjoyed making (most) of the things I made. That anatomical heart and the robots will definitely be coming back in the future. And that was the general consensus on Ron's blog: if you enjoy making it, who gives a shite what other people say about it.<br />
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So what is the next holiday, St. Patrick's day? I think I can work with that. Until then...<br />
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-Rob, simple Circle Studios-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8924136453091462051.post-75244396718712206142012-01-12T11:14:00.000-06:002012-01-12T11:14:32.427-06:00It is snowing sidewaysThus far the winter season has been mild in southern Illinois to say the least. Today, though, the high temperatures dropped into the low 30's and there has been a stiff breeze blowing. I know this is no big deal for most folks north of the Mason-Dixon, but I hate cold weather. Really hate it. I would move to Hawaii if I could. Thus, after going to the post office to mail a package (Yeah Etsy!) I am hiding inside while my trusty little propane heater warms up the studio.<br />
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In other news, <a href="http://juditavill.blogspot.com/2012/01/facebook-vs-blog.html" target="_blank">Judy Tavill posted a blog about the benefits of a blog vs. facebook</a>; a topic that has been on my mind lately. I have always preferred blogging, but lately I have been thinking that one is not necessarily better, they just serve different purposes.<br />
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As I have said before, I was always opposed to facebook, despite my wife's insistence that I get an account. It always seemed like a waste of time. I never saw the point in dealing with all the inane bs that people put
up on facebook. No one cares what I had for breakfast or how many times
I blew my nose today or how much I hate doing dishes; or at least they
shouldn't. Find something more constructive to do with your time. Long story short, I have a facebook account...and it still seems like a big waste of time, at least for the most part. <br />
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Facebook can, however, reach a large number of people quickly, which makes it a good marketing tool. As some people have commented on Judy's post, a blog is good for connecting with other potters; facebook is good for connecting with potential customers. This is the only reason I have not deleted my account yet. <br />
And even better, my wife got me a fancy ipod for Christmas. This makes it very easy to
snap a picture of whatever I am working on and throw it up on facebook
without breaking the flow of my work day too much. I can easily get my work in front of people and perhaps get them interested in what I am doing. <br />
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I still prefer blogging to get ideas out into the ether. I can flesh things out, think them through a little more, etc. It is more like a nice letter to a long distance friend(s). Facebook may have its place though.<br />
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And finally, some pictures of the last stuff out of the kiln. These actually came out shortly before the new year, but I didn't want to put pictures up as some of them were Christmas presents.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLumNClJ5WH6CKuI1nrjs45kjQYJorqct76zaPkHZaecrdpb0OFSbV-ZNxd_cUpMdpKcCI3vF68H5h46D0Ue7nydLdqtoGZjsuYRKB9TIYwSkDgV8FxXLeno1S__2-KNRrnGULXKW6y9e6/s1600/DSCN1721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLumNClJ5WH6CKuI1nrjs45kjQYJorqct76zaPkHZaecrdpb0OFSbV-ZNxd_cUpMdpKcCI3vF68H5h46D0Ue7nydLdqtoGZjsuYRKB9TIYwSkDgV8FxXLeno1S__2-KNRrnGULXKW6y9e6/s320/DSCN1721.JPG" width="229" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rooster Crock, This seems to be a fairly popular design as I have gotten a few requests for similar items</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO2ZYvVmoP-tslzFy7kGLhwSEHkPSKWuEv6B3n8RJvfSVAd7Mytf54yTgC9pQc-gDwrk8UaW2Dvr5FKaAx704VE_62NepUXLw0tu34XIWwzovhMCCPSL5WvSLbCO9baPz7UYBQXA1f8Pcm/s1600/DSCN1532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO2ZYvVmoP-tslzFy7kGLhwSEHkPSKWuEv6B3n8RJvfSVAd7Mytf54yTgC9pQc-gDwrk8UaW2Dvr5FKaAx704VE_62NepUXLw0tu34XIWwzovhMCCPSL5WvSLbCO9baPz7UYBQXA1f8Pcm/s320/DSCN1532.JPG" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dandelion Vase</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-BEjfYxPlneTbbPugV8tMshp261NgM2qDiOKnDKPX3iBUoghF4Nqzvg3Y05yjXF_ifaTCnb22-Lrg1K0t1x_mYA3_sWQ8xjPzWMq-7ApRtrJWP7pO8CmzAIW5gUTeDuZqS7LkMeg14VH/s1600/DSCN1755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-BEjfYxPlneTbbPugV8tMshp261NgM2qDiOKnDKPX3iBUoghF4Nqzvg3Y05yjXF_ifaTCnb22-Lrg1K0t1x_mYA3_sWQ8xjPzWMq-7ApRtrJWP7pO8CmzAIW5gUTeDuZqS7LkMeg14VH/s320/DSCN1755.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plant/Vine Plate. Just glad this one made it through without blowing up!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4I9dbr5luISRnqkirzgTWFOXbgce6ONXOnY5UwePgmr_0jXbPrW0bjcUfsLknfWTkTmzSx_T_utcc_V93vl0gBMbmY3tzAeNgCzv44zNZTbEmOINdx1XXvFpZLwHYirBqwszdE-msqAXc/s1600/Surprise+Mugs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4I9dbr5luISRnqkirzgTWFOXbgce6ONXOnY5UwePgmr_0jXbPrW0bjcUfsLknfWTkTmzSx_T_utcc_V93vl0gBMbmY3tzAeNgCzv44zNZTbEmOINdx1XXvFpZLwHYirBqwszdE-msqAXc/s320/Surprise+Mugs.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surprise Mugs. Each of my nieces and nephews got a personalized mug for Christmas. Fun stuff</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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And some of this stuff is in my <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/SimpleCircleStudios" target="_blank">Etsy </a>shop if you want to check that out.<br />
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Well, the studio is probably warmed up by now, so I probably ought to get to work. It is handles and trimming and plates for the rest of the day. If you find me on facebook you might get a quick shot of work in progress!<br />
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-Rob, Simple Circle Studios-Rob, Simple Circle Studioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08870433162485160315noreply@blogger.com3